Universal
by Burning Phoenix X-7
Summary: Time, space, dimensions. All quite convoluted and branching out into different paths. But it is these paths that we must each walk to discover what lies beyond.
1. Chapter I: Mismatched

**Disclaimer : ****This is my very first attempt at writing and publishing a fic dedicated to Samus and Zelda, and Samus and Zelda as a pair. And I am just finding my footing with it. Hope you all enjoy it and happy reading!**

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 **UNIVERSAL**

 **Chapter I: Mismatched**

 **Subjects: Samus Aran, (Twilight Princess) Zelda.**

 **Summary: They were odd yet, not. They made no sense and yet they made all kinds of sense. They were not supposed to fit together, but at the same time they very much do.**

Initially, Samus would have kept a distance from other people in general. And in a way, she still did. Her life was too chaotic and dangerous for anyone to stick around, let alone live through it with her. And yet here she was, with a companion at her side; one that was the sort that many would least expect from a powerful, technologically advanced bounty hunter like Samus Aran.

The armored hunter glanced towards her said companion and a small smile graced her lips, though her expression remained hidden behind her helmet and visor. Samus reached her left hand over then paused for a moment.

Princess Zelda of Hyrule looked over at the bounty hunter and gave her a warm smile, having noticed Samus' indecision to actually hold hands or not. Not wanting the bounty hunter to feel tensed or insecure, the fair Hylian pulled one of her gloves off and took hold of the armored hand.

Samus' eyes widened behind her visor but she relaxed and gave Zelda's hand a gentle squeeze. The princess's gentleness and genuine compassion was one of the many things that drew the lone bounty hunter to her. The way Zelda did not judge her at first glance, the way she would easily approach Samus without a hint of hesitation or distrust had caught her off guard, and as somebody who had been traveling the stars and living in her ship in isolation, Samus never saw reason to verbally communicate with anyone unless she absolutely needed due to urgency or when it comes to discussing her payment. And so, she always opted to stay silent, to the point that many assumed she just did not have the ability to speak at all.

But Zelda never seemed the least bit bothered by Samus' silence. In fact, and much to Samus' surprise yet again, she seemed to have been able to understand the bounty hunter's gestures, nods and head-shakes without needing the use of words.

It was because of this that Samus always felt comfortable around Zelda and never had to push herself to speak out loud. But at the same time she always felt compelled to actually _speak_ to Zelda, to actually say the words she wanted to say out loud even though the princess made it clear she did not mind the silence.

As if reading the hunter's mind, Zelda leaned her head against Samus' arm. "It is as if I can hear you thinking at times. Please, do not force yourself to speak if you do not feel the need to. I am also content this way."

Samus leaned down to rest her head on top of Zelda's before letting go of the princess's hand and point a finger at herself, right at the spot where her heart was.

"I know. And I would do anything for you as well, Samus. I would protect you, even if you may think it laughable." Zelda said softly, reaching up to caress the side of Samus' helmet tenderly. The hunter placed her hand over the monarch's and pressed it to the bottom of her helmet, where her lips would have been, kissing the princess's knuckles through her helmet.

It was a strange sight, especially to those not at all familiar with the princess of Hyrule and the legendary bounty hunter.

Yet, they were content this way. Even when her beloved was mostly dressed in armor and despite how hard and cold it was at times, Zelda enjoyed the physical closeness she had with Samus; and when the silent hunter did decide to be without armor it always felt wonderful and special as it usually meant Samus was comfortable enough to take off the one thing she always used as protection and possibly even a comfort in a world that seemed to be constantly under threat.

Zelda herself had a mask of her own. Sheik; the form she took to evade detection and an alter ego that was more suited to intense combat. While the Hylian monarch was more than capable of fighting foes with magic, her rapier and her bow, Sheik was her wild card and more fitting for close quarters or swift maneuvers. However, Zelda always wished to improve herself and so she made sure to train without having to depend on Sheik all the time. According to Samus, she was steadily improving. Yes, the hunter's word always meant a lot to her, for Samus Aran was always honest and never gave away compliments so freely to gain her favor like many others Zelda encountered.

While it seemed like she did not think anything of it, Samus had been quite surprised and slightly on guard whenever Sheik showed up; her eyes were an intense red instead of Zelda's gentle and bright blue ones. Sheik was stealthy, silent and swift. She was able to move with the grace of the shadows themselves. But eventually, the bounty hunter had grown used to Sheik especially after seeing that she was still very much Zelda despite the change of form.

Noticing her companion seemed to be lost in thought, Zelda squeezed the armored hand and the hunter looked at her.

Samus titled her head slightly before leaning down towards the princess, pressing her armored forehead against hers apologetically. "Sorry."

Zelda shook her head. "No need for apologies." She pressed her lips against the side of the helmet and giggled a bit when Samus drew back in surprise and touched the spot where the princess's lips at been.

Despite being covered in armor for most of the time, Samus could swear she somehow felt as if the princess's lips touched her actual skin. A blush made its way to her cheeks and she was thankful her helmet hid it so well.

They made a strange pair, but it did not matter to them. They felt comfortable, and content whenever they were each other. To many others they would seem very mismatched, and perhaps they were. But at the end of the day, they were more than happy to be where they were as they were.

Samus offered her hand to Zelda and the princess took it without hesitation and the lovers turned back to return to Samus' ship; perhaps a nice relaxing flight above it all would be good for them on this clear day.

Zelda smiled when she noticed the subtle change in Samus' demeanor. "Feel like going for a flight?"

The hunter nodded, though she tried her best to hide her eagerness to get her ship into the sky but as usual, her princess could always see that bit of giddiness the hunter always tried to hide whenever she felt excited about something; which was not very often.

"I would love to see the skies again with you, Samus." Zelda said leaning her head against the bounty hunter's arm.

Samus's heart jumped inside of her chest as she pulled her companion close. "And…I'm always happy to have you onboard with me, Zelda."

* * *

 **These are drabbles that contain scenarios which I imagined the two would get into and the chapters do not really have anything to do with one another. Also you may consider these chapters as sort of blueprints; if any of the scenarios and ideas stick, perhaps it might turn into a full story than just simple drabbles.**

 **Some scenarios may be very different altogether but I hope that I will be able to do them some justice. And some chapters may contain more mature themes which is why the fic is rated the way it is.**

 **Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter of "Universal"! I've been having fun writing out some of the thoughts that come into my head for Samus and Zelda!**

 **Until then…**


	2. Chapter II: Sleepless

**Chapter II: Sleepless**

 **Subjects: Samus Aran, (Twilight Princess) Zelda**

 **Summary: At the dead of night, when all else were in bed, only two remained awake in each other's company.**

It was not very often that Princess Zelda found herself unable to sleep. When she had been a child, nightmares would sometimes haunt her; or perhaps they were predictions of what was to come. Aside from those instances, the princess was able to sleep peacefully for most of the time. But tonight seemed to be different. She could not seem to close her eyes at all.

Finally giving up on trying to fall asleep, Zelda threw the covers off herself and made her way over to her window. The night was peaceful in Hyrule, but if one were to be foolish enough to wander into the wilderness at such an hour, creatures would surely rise to take hold of a poor adventurer.

Zelda rubbed her temples and shook her head. She was going to get nowhere this way. She turned away from the window and went to her wardrobe, dressing herself to head outside.

She was certain that if Impa knew what she was up to, then the Sheikah warrior would lecture and scold her for even thinking about wandering out at night at such a late hour where it was likely monsters could attack.

But Zelda was more than capable of defending herself; she had powerful magic at her disposal, as well as a wild card that she would use if the need for it arose. However, on this night, Zelda had no intention of simply wandering aimlessly; she had a destination in mind and she was determined to get there tonight.

Once she was dressed appropriately, and cloaked, the princess peered outside her door before stepping out and closing the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, Zelda made her way out of the castle, making sure to remain unnoticed until she was finally far from the castle and on the streets of Castle Town.

A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips as she finally relaxed and quickened her pace. Perhaps she was being foolish for doing such a thing, especially since she was the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. But at the moment, none of that mattered to her. She felt that this was the right decision to make for the night, and she would most certainly not regret what she was about to do on this very moonlit night.

* * *

Samus Aran does not sleep.

She has nothing against sleep, but at times sleep evaded entirely or provided no comfort whatsoever and only served as a means to remind her of many things she would rather forgot but she could not no matter how hard she tried.

The bounty hunter had landed in the land of Hyrule, hoping it's more peaceful and docile—when compared to other planets she had visited—setting would help relax her. But it seemed like that hope was in vain.

The bounty hunter laid back in the pilot seat as she stared at the sky through the front window of the cockpit. While it was hard to relax, she also did not feel like getting up at the moment and yet she could not find it in her to close her eyes. With a frustrated sigh, Samus straightened her chair before she noticed something moving in the distance. It seemed like someone approaching her ship.

Samus stood up and headed out of the cockpit and stepped onto the elevator that sent her up to the topside hatch of her ship.

Once the hunter emerged from the ship, the hooded figure stopped and stared up at her. Samus stared back but she did not tense. She smiled behind the visor when the visitor pulled the hood down, revealing the face of Princess Zelda.

"Good evening, Samus." The monarch of Hyrule greeted.

Immediately, the hunter jumped down from her ship and approached her companion. She tilted her head slightly in response.

"I could not sleep," Zelda admitted. "Sleep seems to be eluding me at the moment. So I thought I'd pay you a visit tonight."

Samus only nodded; she understood what it was like to not be able to sleep though her situation was much more different from Zelda's. Still, the hunter offered her hand and nodded over to her ship. Inwardly, she was rather surprised that the princess had walked all this way from her castle alone, in the dark of the night, just to see Samus.

Zelda took the hunter's hand and she was quickly swept off her feet. She looked up at Samus' visor and she sense the smile hidden behind it. Though she never said so out loud, nor did she need to as there seemed to be a silent understanding between them, she enjoyed being in Samus' arms. While the princess preferred not to be treated as if she were made of glass, she felt more than happy and comfortable in the care of the solitary bounty hunter.

"I take it you are finding it hard to sleep again?" She asked as she and Samus descended into the ship.

Samus seemed to sigh and she nodded before placing Zelda back down onto her own feet once they were inside. She gestured towards the cockpit and the princess understood that it meant the hunter had been spending time in the cockpit again, if not pacing around her ship.

"I'm afraid I may not be of much assistance in helping you sleep. Perhaps we can just stay awake together; but I doubt that would be of much entertainment." Zelda sighed.

Smiling behind her visor, Samus shook her head in disagreement and took the princess's hand in her own that was not encased in a cannon. She always appreciated the efforts Zelda put forth for her, even when she did not need to. It made the hunter adore her all the more and to return the favor whenever she could.

The bounty hunter squeezed her companion's hand gently and led her to the cabin. It was nothing large or impressive but it was big enough for one but Samus never minded having to let the princess stay over whenever she wished; the hunter herself hardly slept in her own bed anyway.

"Sit with me?" Zelda said when she settled on the hunter's bed and pat the space beside her. Samus moved over to take a seat beside her royal companion and Zelda immediately scooted closer and leaned against the bounty hunter's side.

During one of the few times Samus was able to visit Hyrule, both hunter and princess always made sure to spend every moment they could with each other, as they were never certain when Samus may be called upon for another bounty to hunt. Though at times, against the wishes of her advisors—and sometimes even Impa, though she was more understanding and trusted in the princess's abilities in battle—Zelda would join Samus on some of her adventures to distant planets, the likes of which she had never seen before.

Of course Samus herself had been reluctant to let Zelda experience the deadlier and scarier places she had gone through. But the monarch of Hyrule always stood fast and remained at the bounty hunter's side through and through. Eventually, it became part of their lives, with Zelda joining Samus on some of her hunts, and with Samus at times providing her strength and power to the innocents of Hyrule.

Zelda gently tapped the side of the hunter's helmet and Samus snapped back to reality and looked at her companion. The princess smiled at her and she understood; the hunter merely nodded her approval before tapping something on her arm cannon and looking at her companion again. Zelda placed her hands on either side of the red helmet and slowly pulled it off, revealing Samus' true face.

The blonde woman stared into her beloved princess's eyes and received a loving smile in return.

"Hello, Samus." Zelda leaned up slightly and pressed her lips against her hunter's cheek while her fingers traced the features that had remained hidden under the helmet for the most part.

"Zelda…" Samus whispered, her tone light and tender. She touched her lips to her lover's and she felt the princess instantly relax in her arms. It always surprised Samus how easily Zelda trusted her and never once looked at her with a hint of suspicion or fear; but just thinking about the fair Hylian looking at her with fear in those lovely blue eyes, the same eyes that only showed her love and adoration.

Pulling away from the kiss slowly, Zelda slowly ran her hands down the red chest piece of Samus' armor, marveling in the strange advanced technology that her lover always encased her body in. The suit the hunter wore was as mysterious as the alien race that had taken her in as their own.

Thinking on it, the Hylian monarch realized she felt grateful to the mysterious Chozo race for having rescued Samus when they did. Were it not for them, she never would have met the enigmatic bounty hunter, and her heart wouldn't have felt as complete as it did whenever she was in Samus' arms.

"I can hear you thinking." The hunter said softly as she stroked the princess's smooth brown hair tenderly, with a hint of caution as if she were afraid she might accidentally hurt her fair maiden.

"Apologies, Samus. I lost myself for a moment." Zelda pecked her beloved's lips. "I still feel that sleep won't be coming for me, however."

The blonde chuckled. "Sleep rarely comes for me. But when it does…"

Zelda pressed a finger to her beloved's lips. "Hush now. Do not think of that, I am here with you." She traced Samus' face, admiring the beauty of her features and gently pushing back stray bangs.

The hunter's eyes always made the princess think of Lake Hylia and seeing them clear without any darkness hiding behind it made Zelda's heart soar; she always hated seeing Samus suffer and at times it came to a point that she wished she could absorb the pain from the hunter or at least share that pain so that her beloved would not have to carry such burdens alone.

Both princess and bounty hunter remained awake the entire night, sharing stories and their worries, also why sneaking in an affectionate gesture or two. However, when the night was almost over, Zelda found herself letting out a small yawn and she was soon laying against' Samus' torso despite the armor.

As she watched the princess sleep against her chest, Samus shifted slightly and deactivated her suit. In a brief flash of light, the armor disappeared, leaving her in her skin-tight Zero Suit. It would at least be more comfortable for Zelda than to have her sleep against the cold, hard armor. The hunter laid back on the bed, remaining awake for a while longer until she finally seemed to join her princess in the realm of sleep.

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 **I honestly couldn't stop writing when I got in the zone. It has been a long time since I have felt that, and it feels nice to get back into a creative mood. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as well. I know they are quite short but perhaps one of the chapters might be longer than others one of these days.**

 **Until then…**


	3. Chapter III: A Keeper

**Chapter III: A Keeper**

 **Subjects: Samus Aran, (Twilight Princess) Zelda/(Hyrule Warriors) Sheik, Anthony Higgs**

 **Summary: A bounty hunter and a ninja walk into a bar. Would one be willing to witness what takes place?**

As a bounty hunter, Samus could hardly turn down a job, especially if it paid very well. She had a reputation across the galaxy as well for being a legend. However, the said legend did none of her jobs out of the desire for fame. It was merely about doing the right thing, but also about her livelihood.

So, it was nothing unusual when a big shot of a company to call upon a skilled warrior like Samus to deal with a 'slight problem' and of course Samus would be paid handsomely for her services.

"And what is it we must hunt this time?" A slightly deep feminine voice asked.

Samus turned her head to look over at her companion, whom she towered over like she did most other people. Sheik had decided to join Samus once again and though the hunter had attempted to sway her from the decision, she could not stop Sheik from coming along on the hunt.

"Someone broke into the company labs and stole some assets," Samus said before facing forward once again. Sheik crossed her arms and nodded.

There was quite a contrast between Sheik and Princess Zelda but at the same time it was very clear they were also the one and the same person despite having a difference in the way they handle situations and battles; Zelda was effective with magical attacks, she was skilled with a sword and a bow, and had the ability to heal. However Sheik was more durable and swift, able to dispatch enemies without being detected and before they could even realize the danger. However, they were one and Sheik is still the princess that Samus had come to care for more than anything in the world.

"Something is on your mind." Sheik said, her red eyes watching Samus' body language. Though it was difficult to do so when the hunter was usually in her armor most of the time, but Zelda—Sheik—had come to understand her on a whole different level that not many, except for Samus and Zelda themselves, could understand.

The hunter shook her head. "I was just thinking… Maybe we might need a little help with this; I wasn't able to get as much information as I would like about the client, so maybe if I called in a friend…"

"They might know something that may not exactly public information about the one who has hired you," Sheik completed the thought.

Samus nodded. "You already know him."

"Is it Adam?" Sheik asked as the two of them headed back towards the gunship.

Samus shook her head. "No. But close; he's just as familiar with Adam."

The answer then clicked in Sheik's head. "Anthony."

"Right. I figured he could give us a little bit more information than what we have."

The pair finally arrived back at the hunter's ship, but before Samus could even begin to leap up to the top, she felt a weight on top of her. She turned to see Sheik had easily perched herself on one of the hunter's rounded, armored shoulders. It seemed that Zelda's slightly more playful side was more apparent when she took the form of her alter ego. With a light chuckle, Samus merely shook her head and easily jumped up onto her ship with Sheik still undisturbed on the hunter's shoulder.

Before stepping onto the lift that would take them into the ship, Samus lifted her arm, easily scooping her partner off her shoulder and placing her back onto her own feet.

Sheik smiled behind her face-covering and ran her fingers down the hunter's visor in an affectionate manner before stepping into the lift with Samus following. Once they were inside the ship again, the Sheikah warrior has gone, and in her place was the princess of Hyrule.

By now the hunter was used to her partner's transformation between Sheik and her true self, and so she paid it no mind as she headed for the cockpit and settled in her pilot seat and began tapping away at the control panel, sending a message to Anthony to meet them later.

The princess approached the pilot seat, clearly intrigued by the way Samus easily knew what to do with all the confusing-looking controls. And while Zelda had gotten used to some of the adventures Samus had as a bounty hunter, she was still quite oblivious to how all the odd technological advancements worked. Instead she merely studied and observed how the hunter worked around with the technology.

"Zelda?"

The Hylian monarch blinked and turned her attention to Samus.

"Why did you come with me on this job?" While they had been doing this for a while now, Samus always fretted that one day Zelda might end up seeing one of the worst case scenarios that the hunter was used to getting into on a daily basis. So far, she had been spared from witnessing such atrocities, but as often as she came with Samus on her jobs, that luck might change.

Zelda tilted her head slightly. "Why do you ask? I have been doing this for a while now, haven't I?"

"I still get worried. I know that you understand what I have to do in my line of work but… I guess I'm just scared that you might…get scared." Samus mentally cursed herself for being so terrible with words when she needed it the most.

The princess stared at her partner for a moment and a small smile made its way to her lips. She placed a gloved hand on top of the hunter's arm cannon. Samus tensed at the gesture, unsure how to feel about how calm the fair Hylian was being.

"I knew what I was getting myself into, Samus. The first moment I decided to join you on jobs whenever possible. I knew that at some point I may one day witness something…unsavory, and I have accepted that fact. But if I am with you, Samus, I feel that I can face them without fear." Zelda said, resting her head against Samus' helmet.

The hunter placed her left hand over Zelda's that was tenderly stroking the hunter's arm cannon. "I just…don't want you to end up like me. I like you just as you are. I like you because…you're nothing like me; you've been through a lot but you have a wholesome life, unlike me."

"Samus… You are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You continue to live despite all that you've gone through; you continue to protect those who could not protect themselves even when you hardly had anybody to do the same for you. You continue to protect your world like you had promised. You're still here, and you're still standing tall." Zelda said, her voice gentle yet firm and full of conviction.

There was a long silence before Samus spoke again. "Heh. If I don't give myself much credit, then you give me too much of it."

Zelda chuckled lightly and carefully knocked her forehead against the red helmet of the bounty hunter. "Well, I suppose somebody has to."

"If that's the case… I'm glad that it has to be you."

* * *

Samus and Zelda, once again in the guise of Sheik, approached the entrance of the bar with the bounty hunter surprisingly out of her armor and wearing normal civilian clothing for a change. Though she was still every bit as tall, powerful, and intimidating.

Anthony Higgs was already seated at a table there, waiting for them. The moment he noticed the pair walk in, he waved them over. Samus nudged Sheik a bit and nodded over to the table that Anthony occupied, and he grinned as they drew closer.

"Hey Princess!" He greeted.

Samus and Sheik stopped in their tracks and stared at him blankly in response.

Realizing the cause of their reaction, Anthony chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Whoops. I mean; hey there Samus. You too, Zel— Er, Sheik."

"Hello, Anthony." Sheik greeted politely as she took a seat beside Samus at the table. The bounty hunter merely nodded at her old friend in response.

Anthony smiled and shook his head. "Gotta say, it's a little funny that we got two 'princesses' around now; one more of an actual princess than the other."

Samus raised an eyebrow at the teasing but Sheik seemed amused, and placed a hand on top of her partner's.

"Alright, Aran. No need to give me that look. I know what you're here for, and don't worry. I got the details." Anthony tapped the side of his head and gave the duo a reassuring grin.

The mood at their table finally turned serious as Anthony answered any questions Samus have had about her current client. Sheik remained silent and listened carefully, while her senses were on high alert as they were in a bar, where incidents tended to happen and she knew that Samus was also alert even though she was also focused on Anthony's words.

"So, they keep up the face of a medical company to the public. But on the side they like to play around in their labs…" Samus spoke out loud finally after hearing what her old friend had to say.

Anthony nodded. "Seems like it. Took some digging but apparently, while they have some people working on the next big medical breakthrough, they also have people playing around and seeing what kind of mad science they could cook up. Maybe it's a side-job, or not all employees are aware of the activities going on right under their noses…"

"Or the whole company is in on it. And their founder is the ringleader. Whatever he's not telling me, he wants to make sure I don't find out while I'm getting his missing asset back." Samus mused, now losing herself in her thoughts.

In the meantime, Sheik sat leaning back against her chair, arms crossed as she let the two comrades speculate and formulate the next move. The noises that surrounded them in the bar could be quite distracting, but Samus was more than focused on the task at hand.

Suddenly, the sound of someone catcalling drew Sheik's attention and she noticed a small group of men looking Samus' way, clearly staring at her impressive womanly features.

Sheik's red eyes narrowed but she did not move a muscle as the men kept nudging each other as they sent looks in the bounty hunter's direction. The disguised princess was certain that these men had no idea who it was they were catcalling at; Samus was usually seen in her Power Suit and so people were either unaware of what she looked like, assumed she was a robot, or had no idea that she was a woman underneath the armor. The only thing people were very aware of was her name, and her reputation as a legendary warrior and bounty hunter.

As Sheik, Zelda herself was often mistaken for a man, which was one of the reasons the scoundrels sitting at the bar did not try to catcall towards her. Either Sheik was simply not their 'type' as Zelda came to learn the term was called at one point, or they assumed that she was male.

Her pointed ears caught the conversation easily, but she knew they were already loud enough that even Anthony could hear how they were calling out at Samus and her frontal assets as well as her posterior.

"Damn horndogs…!" Anthony grumbled, sending a glare their way.

Sheik silently agreed as she kept her glance at the ruffians in case they decided to stir trouble for the mere pleasure of it. However, Samus did not seem to notice the commotion, nor Anthony's reactions towards the rudeness of the men at the bar. Her mind continued to work as she tried to piece together what exactly it was that the client lost that she would have to retrieve.

If the medical company that hired her were indeed dealing with something underground then it was likely a confrontation might breakout should the hunter piece together or suspect anything illegal may be occurring. Perhaps she might end up being followed to make sure she did not get in too deep with something she should not. Not that Samus planned on allowing anything that may endanger the lives of innocents to remain in the hands of anyone. And whoever had broken in and stole this so-called asset was either a rival company or worse; Space Pirates.

Once again, the men sent vulgar remarks her way and Anthony stood up from his chair, ready to deal with scoundrels, but Samus turned to him.

"Anthony, do you have clue as to what this missing asset could be?" She asked, seemingly oblivious to the words being flung her way.

The Federation soldier looked at her with surprise. "Doesn't all that noise bother you, Princess?" He asked, unsure how to feel about the bounty hunter's reaction.

"I need to know what it is I am after, and if it might pose as a threat," Samus said seriously as if she had not heard his question.

Sheik turned her gaze to her partner, also quite taken aback. Still, she was thankful that her companion was keeping her hostile side in check but it was still rather impressive that the hunter did not seem to acknowledge the vulgarities surrounding her.

With a defeated sigh, Anthony sat back down. "Not sure what it is they could be missing, but it could be either delicate resources, or something they made themselves. Either way, it could be bad news if it stays out there."

With a nod, Samus stood up and Sheik followed suit. Anthony understood and went with the two women as they began to head back outside. As they headed for the door, Samus paused and turned at the sound of a voice at the bar.

The men had seemingly found a new victim to lay their vulgarities on; one of them was leaning in too close to the woman's face while his friends merely grinned and watched as if it were the most entertaining show they had ever seen, ignoring the woman's protests.

"Come on girl, don't be that way. But you know…you're really hot when you're all feisty." The scoundrel smirked as he leaned in closer.

Before anything else could happen, the man felt himself being roughly yanked away from the woman and off the barstool. He landed on the floor with a hard thud and felt somebody's boot press down on his chest.

Samus glared down at him, her blue eyes turned cold and feral as she took in the image of the pathetic excuse of a human under her boot.

The ruffian's friends got off their seats and made a move to assist him, but as swiftly and silently as the shadows, Sheik was suddenly in front of them, preventing them from getting to their fellow scoundrel. Her red eyes seem to pierce their very souls.

"I'd stay back if I were you." Sheik warned, and her serious expression was enough to keep the men rooted in place.

Samus continued to glare at the man under her, her fists clenched but she made no move to attack him. She merely added more pressure to the foot that was stepping on him until he gasped and tapped her boot urgently.

The bounty hunter lessened the pressure on his chest just a bit, but her expression remained cold. She nodded over to the woman who the men had been harassing and the ruffian seemed to get the message. He trembled under the hunter's boot and nodded his head as he began to sweat nervously, especially when he noticed her hand reaching for what looked like a firearm that was strapped to her side.

"I get it, I get it! I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!" Whoever this woman was, she was insane!

Samus narrowed her eyes and removed her foot from him. The ruffian stumbled to his feet and ran, his friends quickly following his lead.

"That was quite a show, ladies!" Anthony laughed at the display as Samus and Sheik returned to his side and he gave a friendly smack on the bounty hunter's back, though she seemed unfazed by it.

Sheik's gaze turned to Samus and she felt a warmth inside her. Samus had been oblivious or ignored the rude remarks that had been thrown at her, but when it came to an innocent being put in a situation that made them feel unsafe, the hunter did not hesitate to do something about it.

That fact made the disguised princess fall for Samus Aran all over again, and at that moment, she only had eyes for the hunter and she ignored the awed expression that the victim had on her face as she looked upon her savior.

Sheik followed Anthony and Samus out of the bar, her gaze still on her partner.

Sensing eyes on her, Samus looked over at the disguised princess and stopped in her tracks when she noticed the look of adoration in Sheik's red eyes.

"W-what…?" She gave her partner a look. What had gotten into her?

"Nothing. You truly are an amazing being, Samus Aran." Sheik said simply, a smile forming behind the face covering.

Samus' eyes widened and she looked away, unsure how to deal with the sudden shift in mood from her counterpart.

Anthony remained back at a decent distance, and he began to grin in amusement at the two. It was always rather intriguing for him to see a new side to the usually silent and enigmatic hunter.

The bounty hunter cleared her throat and in a brief flash of light, her Power Suit was back on; helmet and all. She did her best to remain nonchalant. "We better head back to the ship. We have a mission to carry out."

Sheik nodded, and light engulfed her as well, leaving Princess Zelda in her place.

Samus tilted her head at her in confusion but the royal Hylian only slipped her hand into Samus' left one. "Shall we then?"

With a sigh, the hunter turned to Anthony and nodded at him in thanks. He waved at them as the duo headed off in another direction, back to the gunship. They had wasted enough time, and they needed to depart now before their intended target got further away from them.

Before he went his own way as well, Anthony called out, "Make sure to keep a hold of that one, Princess! She's a keeper!"

Both Samus and Zelda were unsure which 'Princess' he was referring to. But it seems that only Anthony Higgs knew the answer to that.

* * *

 **I am quite in love with the Hyrule Warrior's design of Sheik so I may have the tendency to use that design despite whichever Zelda may be in use for the chapter.**

 **Also I actually wanted to finish this chapter before I finally published this fic. So…yes, this what I wanted to get done before this fic saw the light of day. I'm glad I managed it!**

 **So, which 'Princess' was Anthony referring to? You may have to guess, since he most likely won't be telling anyone himself!**


	4. Chapter IV: Partings

**Chapter IV: Partings**

 **Subjects: Young Samus, Young (Twilight Princess) Zelda, Rodney Aran, Virginia Aran, Impa, King Daphnes**

 **Summary: In a world where one could see the worlds the universe beheld, friendships could be sure to form. But will it be able to last when fate decides to play a hand?**

It was nothing new, but it was always exciting whenever her father, King Daphnes of Hyrule, brought her along on his journeys to visit other worlds, planets and colonies. As princess and heir to the throne, she was to learn all there was to know about the worlds around them, but accompanying her father was also a good way to experience it all firsthand. And thankfully, the king himself thought so as well.

The Hyrulean airship was a large and impressive craft that reminded one of a regular ship that sailed across the sea, but with the simple technological additions to the craft, it was able to take to the skies and visit the other lands beyond.

Princess Zelda looked to the side of the ship, watching the many stars go by, all while being protected by the ship's barrier for such otherworldly travels, and the gaze of General Impa.

"Where are we going, Father?" The young princess asked, looking up at the king.

King Daphnes was a tall and imposing-looking man with a chunky build, large white beard, dressed in red robes with a large, bulky white collar around his neck, on top of a blue shirt, white breeches and brown boots. His large belt buckle, along with the large collar held the markings of the Triforce. And on top of his head was a golden crown befitting a man of his position.

"To a place known as K-2L, my daughter." Daphnes said gently, picking up the princess and placing her at his shoulder. "We will visit the people there and hopefully strengthen our alliance with them. You will see how the whole thing works."

Zelda nodded and watched the horizon as a planet grew larger as their airship drew nearer until they entered its atmosphere and they could see the ground and the trees of K-2L from up above.

Once the ship landed and the royal entourage disembarked, they were immediately greeted by the people of K-2L. The chief stepped forward; he was a tall and handsome middle-aged man with short blonde hair with a bit of a stubble on his chin. He wore clothes completely unfamiliar to Zelda, but of course there were many different kinds of culture when one visited different worlds. Close behind the man was a woman, presumably his wife. She had long hair and had the same hair color as her husband, and her eyes were a wonderful blue.

"King Daphnes? Welcome to K-2L." The man said with a polite smile and the king bowed in return before shaking the chief's hand.

"I thank you, Sir Aran. I am pleased that we are able to meet properly like this. Tell me, how goes the mining of your home's resources?" Daphnes asked and the men began their long conversation.

Zelda watched her father carefully, listening to and observing everything that is being done and said. She found herself truly interested and intrigued by the conversation taking place and she was also learning quite a lot. That was good.

Suddenly, Aran's wife gasped and called out, "Ah! Wait a minute, sweetheart! You can't be here; your father is busy!"

Aran and his guests turned to see a young girl with short blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes run out from the crowd to where her father stood. She looked close in age to Princess Zelda, and in her arms was a small, furry creature with long rabbit ears and a squirrel tail.

As adorably bizarre as the creature was, the little girl was the one who caught everyone's attention. Her curious blue eyes stared up at the king of Hyrule in awe and he looked back at her with an amused, yet gentle expression.

"Sorry about this, King Daphnes… My daughter must have gotten excited when she heard about the visit." Aran chuckled sheepishly.

Daphnes shook his head, not at all offended. However, before he could say a word, the child approached, still looking up at him. She smiled and her furry companion looked up at the king as well, seemingly just as curious as its owner.

"Samus Aran. Three years old. This is Pyonchi," She nodded to her pet in her arms. "What's your name?" She asked and her father had another sheepish look.

The king laughed and knelt down to her level. "Such a bold little one. I am King Daphnes of Hyrule. An honor to meet the daughter of K-2L's leader."

Zelda leaned around her father slightly to get a better look at the girl. Her clothing were slightly baggy and instead of a dress or skirt, she wore pants and a shirt with long sleeves that looked somewhat bigger than her. However, as she observed this newcomer, the little blonde girl noticed the princess and her smile widened.

She stepped around the king to approach Zelda. "Hello. Samus Aran, three years old," She introduced herself again. "What's your name?"

Zelda was taken aback by the girl's rather forward actions. Still, as princess, she reminded herself to be polite as she had always been taught. The little princess curtseyed. "Princess Zelda of Hyrule…"

Samus hugged Pyonchi a little tighter in a slightly bashful manner, but still made sure to keep a gentle hold on him. The creature did not seem to mind at all and just looked at Zelda and his owner seemed to recover from her brief shyness. "Want to be friends?"

Again, the little heir was caught off guard. Daphnes let out another laugh, clearly amazed by what was taking place. Impa remained vigilant, but even she had a spark of amusement in her eyes as she watched the children, especially her charge who had suddenly made a friend without even making a move.

Samus took Zelda's hand and began pulling her along excitedly. "Come on, let's go play!"

Zelda was unsure what to do, or how to react. She looked over her shoulder, at the king. "Ah? F-Father…?"

"Go on, little one. See what this world has to offer." Daphnes said with an encouraging smile, before turning to the silver-haired Sheikah. "General Impa; watch over them."

Impa nodded in understanding and followed the children into the woods where Samus continued to lead little Princess Zelda to her favorite spot to play and explore.

* * *

Samus led her new friend to a wide open clearing surrounded by trees, and filled with green grass and flowers. She always enjoyed this particular spot for how pretty it looked. And once Zelda saw it, she too was quite mesmerized. The princess had seen many flowers back at home, but K-2L had different kinds she never saw before. And since Samus played in the area, it was certain the plants were safe to be around.

Impa stood at a respectable distance and watched while the children had their playtime.

Samus placed Pyonchi down and right away, the creature hopped over to Zelda. The little princess still seemed unsure but the blonde girl giggled. "Pyonchi's nice. He just likes to give tickles."  
On cue, Pyonchi hopped onto Zelda's shoulder and nuzzled his twitchy nose against her cheek. The princess let out a little laugh and tried to escape the playful attack.

"He does tickle! What is he?" She asked once she managed to pick the creature from her shoulder; he did not seem to mind being held by a stranger.

"Rabbilis. Isn't he cute? He's very naughty sometimes though; he stole my bag once." Samus said, reaching over to pet Pyonchi's head. The rabbilis let out a happy noise at the attention. "But Grandpa Bird said to be friends and give him a name and that's how Pyonchi gave my bag back, and now we're friends too."

Zelda tilted her head slightly. "Who is Grandpa Bird?"

"A big old bird. But he's nice. He's a Chozo." Samus said, scratching her pet's chin.

Impa's eyes widened. "A Chozo? You must have been quite the lucky one to have met and spoke to one; they are quite the mysterious race."

Zelda and Samus looked up at the silver-haired woman in surprise.

"You know the Chozo, Miss Impa?" Samus asked curiously.

Impa shook her head. "Not at all. Merely heard of them; as I said; they are a mysterious race and not many know of them. So consider yourself lucky to have encountered these beings."

Something new that the princess had learned, and she made sure to keep it in mind. She had heard some stories as well; about bird people who flew high in the sky, but at some point lost their wings and gift of flight. However they were said to be intelligent and wise beings.

Noticing her distracted state, Pyonchi let out a soft cry and nuzzled the princess, tickling her again and bringing her back to reality.

Zelda smiled and handed the rabbilis back to his owner before sitting down on the grass. "Do you know how to make flower crowns?"

"Flower crowns?" Samus sat beside the young Hylian, Pyonchi settled on her lap.

The little princess nodded. "I can teach you. Watch."

As the day went on, Samus found herself attempting to make a flower crown as Zelda had demonstrated, only to mess up a few times until she got it right. The Hylian princess just giggled and complimented her new friend on her job well done. In response, Samus placed the crown on Zelda's head, just like the princess did with her.

Pyonchi and Impa stayed close by, watching them both. Though the rabbilis would at times show his mischievous side which would result in the girls chasing him around and rolling along the grass.

In the end, Zelda's dress had some dirt and grass stains on them, and her hair was slightly disheveled. Samus' clothes were quite ruffled as well. The pair laughed at the fun they were having, especially the princess who was now more relaxed around her new friend and the rabbilis.

"Can you hear things from far away?" Samus asked after a moment, pointing at her own ear.

She understood the question. Zelda sat up slowly and nodded. "Um…yes I can hear things a little better. Father says our ears lets us hear the voice of the gods themselves…" The princess felt a little self-conscious talking about such things with someone from such a distant world and planet.

Samus smiled. "I think your ears look nice."

It was innocent words from another child like herself, though Zelda found herself suddenly feeling bashful. No one ever says such things. But perhaps it was due to their worldly and cultural differences. Suddenly something caught Samus's attention and she placed her hand on top of Zelda's. She took a look at the princess's right hand, staring at something on the back.

Realizing what she might be staring at, Zelda pulled her hand away and held it close to her chest.

"S-sorry! Does it hurt?" Samus asked, hoping she did not offend her new friend by staring. But it had been an odd sight; a strange triangular marking that seemed to be made of three triangles; it looked like it was burned or tattooed onto the princess's hand. But the blonde girl dared not ask since her parents said that people didn't like certain questions. Maybe Zelda didn't like people talking about the triangles on her hand.

Zelda shook her head in response. "No, it's not painful."

"I'm sorry. I won't look at it again. Promise." Samus said softly, hoping that she did not destroy a potential friendship-for-life. She very much liked spending time with Zelda, and it was not often she had a friend from such a faraway place.

"I'm not angry, Samus. I was just surprised. I just don't like it so much when people stare…" She stroked the back of her hand, rubbing the odd marking. Pyonchi sniffed the princess's hand and gently nuzzled the top of his head under her palm.

Suddely, Samus took her hand again and wrapped a handkerchief over the marking. Zelda looked at her in surprise.

"There. Now no one would stare at it or be mean to you about it. I don't think it looks ugly; it looks nice too. I never saw something like this before." Samus said, gently patting the handkerchief-covered hand. "Are we…still friends?"

Zelda smiled and took the blonde girl's hands in hers. "We're still friends, Samus. Thank you." She hugged the little blonde girl tightly. She never properly interacted with other children; being a princess she was usually sheltered, and even though she traveled with her father, she did not play around with ones her age. Her usual company would be Impa, her father, and even the new foal who was recently born in the royal stables and would be her steed one day.

The rabbilis stepped over to the girls and squeezed between them. Samus laughed. "Pyonchi is happy too. He also wants to be your friend."

Impa smiled softly at the scene, arms crossed. While she knew how much the princess would have to go through in life, it was nice to see that perhaps there might be someone she could turn to. She knew how lonely the little princess could be at times and seeing her smiling now, even with her dress dirtied and her braid in a mess, made the Sheikah's own heart feel lighter.

* * *

Inevitably, as the day grew late, Impa and Zelda returned to King Daphnes's side as he and his entourage prepared to depart back to Hyrule.

"I am grateful to be able to understand more of your colony, Rodney Aran. You are a good man. I pray the goddesses watch over you and your family." The king said sincerely.

Rodney chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "That's very kind of you, sir. It's really an honor to have you visit us."

Virginia Aran bowed slightly. "We thank you for your kind words. Maybe one day…we could visit Hyrule…?"

"Oh, certainly! Perhaps we can learn more from each other. And please, do bring your darling daughter as well. I am certain she will enjoy visiting the kingdom." The king said with a wide smile and placed his hand on his own daughter's shoulder. Zelda smiled at the thought of Samus visiting.

With Pyonchi in her arms, Samus walked over to them, a sad look on her face. "You're going already?"

Zelda nodded. "I'm sorry. But you can always visit with your family." She said reassuringly and glanced at the handkerchief tied to her right hand, hiding the Triforce.

Samus nodded sadly until she noticed the princess pulling off a circular brooch she had on her dress. It was then she noticed the object had the same triangular shape on it as well, just like Zelda's hand. Her eyes widened when the princess handed her the brooch.

"Please keep this. As a symbol of our friendship…?" The princess said softly and then lifted her right hand to show the handkerchief. "I have this now, so I want you to have something from me."

Pyonchi squeaked and looked up at Samus who gazed at the unexpected present before she slowly reached out to take it. "Really? I can have this? But it's for your dress!"

Zelda giggled. "There will be more. This one is special because it means you can remember our time together!"

"I won't ever forget, even without this! But I will keep it always!" Samus promised and hugged her friend. This might be the last time they see each other for a while.

After saying their farewells, the royal entourage boarded the airship and it took off. The princess looked over the side to wave goodbye. Samus returned the gesture, and surprisingly so did Pyonchi. Soon, they were out of each other's sights.

"It's nice to see that you have managed to befriend someone of the planet," Impa said and the young princess looked up at her longtime caretaker.

King Daphnes looked at his daughter and smiled gently as he knelt down to her level. "There is nothing to be concerned about, my little one. I meant it when I proposed that Aran and his family come visit us some day. You will see your friend again, one more."

"I really enjoyed playing with her, Father." The little princess admitted as she watched as the planet of K-2L grew smaller in the distance. "Can she really come visit us? In Hyrule?"

Impa chuckled. "His Majesty has no issue with that, Princess. And perhaps it would be nice for her mother and father to see our world as well."

Zelda smiled at the thought of having her new friend come to see her world.

* * *

The gigantic ship, followed by fleet of smaller—by comparison—spaceships. The crew were armed to the teeth, and ready to destroy whenever they wished.

"Lord Ridley…"

The large beast who sat up in the front of the ship, turned to face his underling. He snarled but nodded, allowing his minion to speak.

"Lord Ridley, we have detected large energy surge from the planet K-2L. We believe it may be Afloraltite!" The underling reported.

Ridley's eyes widened for a brief second before a cruel smirk crossed his terrifying features. "Afloraltite!? Ah, I see… So, that's the reason why the Chozo came here a couples of days earlier, eh? Looks like this little backwater planet might be worth plundering."

Turning to his underling, the space dragon gave a loud screech and he was understood. Right away the order was given to head down and land on K-2L.

The space dragon Ridley, leader of the Space Pirates, was ready to once again burn and pillage, and destroy all in his path. It made his blood boil with eagerness and anticipation as his fleet headed for the planet. The pathetic humans living there would stand no chance of survival and he as looking forward to enjoying the way their blood spilled onto the ground while their bodies laid broken and torn to pieces.

* * *

Samus giggled as Pyonchi nuzzled against her. She had enjoyed herself immensely on this day, and making a new friend in the Princess Zelda was the best part of the day. Samus imagined going to visit the princess in her own planet.

Virginia and Rodney had chuckled, noticing their daughter's clear excitement.

"We'll visit their planet someday, Samus. Maybe around this month?" Rodney had said, as he knelt down to his daughter's eye-level and pat her head.

Samus grinned and hugged Pyonchi close at the memory. The rabbilis looked up at his young owner and let out a squeak, also feeling high in spirits; he too enjoyed the company of the gentle princess. It made his human friend happy and so it made Pyonchi happy well.

Suddenly a sudden boom caught the child's ears. Confused as to what caused the sound, Samus carefully tightened her hold on Pyonchi and looked over to where the settlements lay.

A large cloud of smoke rose into the sky, coming from the direction of home. However, before Samus could make a move, another explosion sounded off, and this time it was a little closer to where she and Pyonchi stood and Samus found herself being flung back by the force.

The child screamed in shock and Pyonchi was immediately at her side to comfort his human friend, before looking back towards the direction of the settlement. Samus shook her head as she recovered, and the rabbilis hopped into her arms once more, letting out urgent cries and gesturing for her to head back home.

Confused and still slightly dazed, the child ran back to the settlement.

* * *

"Take everything, and leave nothing! Destroy them all!" Ridley cried out, feeling the joy of a massacre as his underlings shot down every living being they saw without a care if they were fleeing or resisting; men, women and children alike.

Another half of the fleet got to work on taking every bit of afloraltite they could find from the storages and mines, and loaded them into the space pirate ships.

Ridley watched them out of the corner of his eye and snarled. "Be careful, you fools! One wrong move and you could destroy us all!"

The underlings trembled under his glare slightly but obeyed without question as they continued to carry the dangerous resource of afloraltite onto their vessels.

"Mama? Papa? Where are you?" A tiny voice called out, causing the space dragon to turn around to find the source.

Samus coughed as she walked through the smoke and held Pyonchi close to her chest as she attempted to locate her parents. Her eyes then caught sight of a large and frightening creature, the likes of which she had never seen before.

"Lord Ridley!" A space pirate called out, "We emptied the mines! The afloraltite is all ours now!"

Turning to face him, Ridley nodded. "Good! Now that we have everything, there is no reason to hold back! Burn them all!" He screeched.

Samus' eyes widened and she flinched under the volume of his voice. "Y-your name is Ridley, right?" She stammered nervously.

The space dragon returned his gaze to the child and stared at her. She was shaking and obviously vulnerable, with a fuzzy creature in her arms. The child looked up at him with tears in her eyes as she attempted give him a smile, surprising the bloodthirsty space pirate leader.

"You're not so…scary! Even though we're both different…we can still be friends!" Samus said bravely, looking up at the creature despite her entire body trembling.

Ridley lowered head slightly, looking almost sympathetic. "Hmm… You're cute for a human child. Sorry, little miss, but being friends won't ever be possible."

Samus tensed up and her expression turned to one of confusion. "Why not?"

Feeling a thrill running up his back, Ridley rose to his full height and smirked cruelly at the child. "That's because… _You are about to die_!"

The space dragon screeched and opened his jaws, energy gathering. Samus found herself frozen in place until someone called out her name. The child gasped and turned to see her mother rushing to her, managing to reach her just as the pirate leader unleashed his devastating breath attack.

"Mama!" Samus screamed as Virginia Aran threw herself in front of her defenseless daughter; flames engulfing her entirely.

A manic laughed escaped Ridley as he stared at the carnage he was causing. However, before he could unleash another blast, a loud thundering sound made him stop. He turned to see one of his ships, and to his shock, it was burning down and falling back onto the planet's surface.

Outrage, the space dragon cried out. "What! Why the hell is my ship on fire!?"

The moment the burning space pirate vessel filled with the delicate cargo of afloraltite, crashed onto the ground, an enormous explosion engulfed the entire settlement, and even the remaining space pirates and Ridley himself. The monstrous pirate let out a pain roar as he was swallowed by the deadly flames.

* * *

"King Daphnes!" A Hyrulean guard called out with urgency as he barged into the throne room.

The king of Hyrule turned his attention to the guard and watched as he rushed over and bowed, panting tiredly from running all the way to the castle. "What is this? What has happened?"

Princess Zelda entered the throne room with Impa close behind upon hearing the rukus.

The soldier tried to catch his breath before speaking again. "My king…! We've just received word… Word of K-2L! Sp-Space Pirates! The planet is…"

Daphnes' eyes widened. "Space Pirates? And what of the people?"

"There…seems to be no survivors!" The soldier said, lowering his head even more.

Zelda's eyes widened at the news and she rushed to her father's side. "That can't be true! We have to check!"

Daphnes looked at his daughter, seeing a mixture of fright, concern, and determination in her eyes. He nodded in understanding; he also could not just ignore this sort of news without seeing for himself and if he could possibly still find any signs of life. He looked back to the soldier, then at Impa. "General Impa! Gather some men! We will return to K-2L at once!"

Impa nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The soldier who barged in stood up and went to join the other troops.

"Let me come too, Father!" Zelda cried out, gripping her father's robes.

Daphnes frowned at the little princess and shook his head. "Out of the question! It will be dangerous, and I do not want you to see such things!"

"I _have_ to go! I _must_ go! Please, Father!" Zelda pleaded.

"Zelda…" He began to protest.

"Samus lives there! She's my friend, I have to go too!" The little princess argued, making it clear that she would not take any refusal as an answer.

The king of Hyrule paused and noticed a spark in Zelda's eyes as she stood her ground. She was still so young but the king could have sworn that there was a sort of maturity and wisdom in those eyes despite her age. Daphnes clenched his fist as he tried to come to a decision.

"… Very well. You may come along, but you must stay on the ship. Is that understood, my daughter?" He said at last.

Zelda nodded and quickly rushed off to find Impa and join her and the soldiers onboard the ship that was set to travel back to planet K-2L.

* * *

The moment the Hyrulean crafts landed, there was a sense of foreboding which only worsened once King Daphnes and his troops stepped onto the planet's soil. Everywhere they looked, there was devastation and the smell of death reached them.

Despite her father's orders, Princess Zelda followed him off the ship and Impa remained close to her, knowing the little heiress would not simply stand back when she had a friend on this planet.

The soldiers fanned out to look for survivors among the ruins of K-2L's settlement while Daphnes took in the terrible sight; to think that this planet had lovely forests, different creatures, and even people that was now all destroyed…

Zelda could not believe what had happened. She had been on this planet not too long ago, she had been playing games with her new friend. How could an entire world become nothing but ruins so quickly? As the princess wandered around again with Impa at her side, a glint suddenly caught her eye. With a gasp, Zelda ran towards it, ignoring her father's protests and warning for her to stay back and return to the ship.

The little princess came to a stop and began digging around in the debris until she uncovered the source of the glint she had seen. The moment she did, time seemed to have stopped. Impa and Daphnes noticed Zelda's posture growing tense and they approached her carefully. Once the king was close to her, he touched his daughter's shoulder and she spun around to face him.

Tears ran down Zelda's cheeks and her whole body trembled as she slowly held up the object she had found. The brooch with the Triforce emblazoned on it; the same brooch she had given to Samus as a sign of friendship.

The king's eyes widened in realization and before he knew it, his daughter had fallen into his arms, crying out loud in anguish at the revelation that her new friend was likely dead and all the king could do was try to comfort his traumatized princess.

Impa watched them, feeling her own heart grow heavy. The Sheikah warrior turned her eyes to the sky as she silently prayed that the goddesses would now watch over young Samus Aran who must now be safe in their arms.

* * *

 **This one had been on my mind for a while. I wanted to put a little twist on things concerning the origin story of Samus and having her and Zelda's fates and life intertwine. As a result, this chapter turned out longer than expected but I liked how it turned out.**

 **For young Twilight Princess Zelda, I took her design from the Twilight Princess manga where we see Zelda as young girl during one of the chapters.**


	5. Chapter V: Shy Steps

**Chapter V: Shy Steps**

 **Subjects: Samus Aran, (Ocarina of Time) Zelda**

 **Summary: Neither were skilled in the art of courting, but the simplicity of each other's company was more than enough.**

"You're quite tense," Zelda said as she glanced at her armored companion who seemed to be trying her best to avoid looking the princess in the eyes.

"I'm not." Samus protested gruffly, keeping her eyes forward and ignoring the looks she still got from Castle Town's citizens whenever she walked past.

The royal Hylian smiled as she slipped her hand into Samus' left hand, intertwining their fingers together. Even though the bounty hunter kept herself dressed in armor, even when in such a non-hostile environment or situation, Zelda had become rather adept at knowing and understanding what she was thinking or feeling by reading the very subtle body language. To an outsider, it was always surprising how Samus would say nothing or make some gesture and the princess would respond as if the hunter had spoken out loud.

"We can return to the castle, if you wish." Zelda offered and she felt Samus gently squeeze her hand.

"No, it's fine." The hunter never backed down from a mission, and this one was a personal mission. However, it was not the best start that Samus had hoped for. Now that she and Zelda were out in Castle Town, she was unsure where to begin with this whole courtship, and she doubted that flying off to a more familiar planet would help her get any better ideas.

Zelda leaned against Samus' arm as they walked. "I enjoy leisurely strolls like this. As a child I had to sneak away from the castle, even from Impa's watch, just to be able to spend time outside like a normal girl. Impa would usually always come find me and scold me, though I knew deep down she understood. She just…wanted me to be safe but I felt so constricted in the castle because I was never allowed to go out on my own and play with other children."

Samus watched the princess on her arm and her eyes softened behind her opaque visor. Zelda was unlike any other person of status; she was soft and gentle but capable of defending herself and others—though the bounty hunter still could not help but be protective of her—and she was a benevolent monarch. Her warm persona was one of the things that drew the hunter even, no matter how hard she tried to avoid it.

And now here she was, wondering how to proceed with this newfound romance she had with Zelda. Why must courtship be so difficult?

"You really are tense, Samus." Zelda said with a light chuckle, nuzzling the side of her head against the space warrior's arm. "There's no need to think so hard."

"Sorry. Just not…used to this. This dating thing," Samus admitted, feeling more than a little embarrassed.

The princess smiled and looked up at her companion. Her eyes shone with adoration and affection. "I am fine this way, being close to you."

Samus groaned at that and Zelda let out a laugh before she straightened and began to walk faster, pulling the hunter along. Of course seeing the princess pulling along a large heavily-armored figure with her captured the eyes of quite a number of bystanders.

Though it was clear most eyes were on Zelda herself; the beauty of all Hyrule. Some were staring in surprise at the fact that the princess herself was among the common the folk, and some were staring with rather amorous expressions, and there were the other folk who had either tensed, worried, frightened or gawking looks on their faces when they saw Samus. The hunter usually ignored the looks she always got whenever she walked by people, and she never cared what they thought of her: Was she a man or a robot?

However, seeing some of the lustful expressions that were thrown Zelda's way, Samus could not help but let out a small growl and move closer to her companion in order to run right beside her while keeping their hands connected. These people didn't know Zelda like Samus did and the hunter had no intention of letting any hormone-driven stranger anywhere near her partner.

The unlikely pair ended up wandering about until they were at Castle Town Market and looking at what it had to offer. While Zelda seemed content to do simple window-shopping, the bounty hunter was still silently fretting on how to make this day enjoyable for her companion, and even though Zelda had insisted she was fine as they were.

Her thoughts were cut off when a small dog timidly walked up to her armored feet and sniffed at it curiously before staring up at her. Samus stared back for a long moment and it was as if neither had any intention of moving until finally, the hunter knelt down and offered her left hand to the canine.

When Zelda turned back around from inspecting some goods at a stall, she was amused to see her partner was now surrounded by dogs and even a couple of cats. They all nudged Samus for attention and the hunter did not seem to mind catering to their little demands.

She giggled and the hunter turned to look at her. If her helmet had been off, Zelda guessed that the bounty hunter would have been blushing at being caught with such adorable little animals.

"You certainly have a way with animals." The princess said as she knelt down as well to pet the animals as well.

Samus gave no verbal response but instead gently handed a kitten to her. Zelda smiled widely as the little ball of fur purred and reached out to knead at the front of her dress. The princess gently stroked the kitten and Samus felt herself grow warm at the tender display before her.

Zelda noticed the hunter's visor staring and she blushed slightly. Her pointed ears twitched just a tiny bit but Samus was able to notice it despite it being such a very subtle movement.

A kitten managed to climb up onto one of the hunter's rounded shoulder armor, and one of the dogs placed its paws on Samus' leg, whining for some more attention. Samus paid it no mind as she moved a little closer to her partner and pressed her visor against Zelda's cheek, causing the princess's eyes to widen and her face grew redder.

The two looked away from each other and cleared their throats in an awkward attempt to hide their blushing, even though Samus' face was hidden underneath her helmet.

"… Perhaps we could grab some snacks next!" Zelda said hastily and the hunter nodded in agreement.

Bidding the animals farewell, both bounty hunter and princess continued their stroll through Castle Town Market.

* * *

"I've enjoyed myself a lot, Samus. Thank you." Zelda said as she sat beside her companion on the grass. The pair had left Castle Town and wandered into the fields together to get away from the bustle in order to enjoy the more peaceful quiet of the outside.

Samus looked over at her partner and nodded in response. When the princess leaned against her side, the hunter could not help but tense up a bit before she slowly relaxed. Zelda noticed this, however, and moved her hand over to touch the armored hand of the hunter.

"I apologize; I am not graceful in the art of courting despite what people may assume." Zelda said quietly.

The hunter chuckled. "And you think I am? I'm pretty much tripping over my own feet here."

"Perhaps it was meant to be…" The princess half-joked with a giggle.

Before she realized it, the bounty hunter moved her hand away from Zelda's and wrapped her arm around the princess's waist. Zelda blushed but made no move to squirm away and instead slid a little closer.

"Never really believed in stuff that was 'meant to be'…" Samus admitted as she lifted her arm cannon and carefully wrapped it around her companion to complete the embrace. "…but for some reason, when I'm with you…I feel like maybe…"

Zelda placed a hand on top of the arm cannon, her eyes held a fascination as she stared at the technologically advanced weapon. Normally, anyone would have been even a little bit intimidated if they saw someone with a large gun for an arm. But the Hylian princess was relaxed and began to caress the shiny green cannon.

It was odd but it made Samus feel rather calm and her heart jumped a bit. She held the fair Hylian carefully and Zelda easily slid onto her lap and laid her head against the red chest piece of the armor.

"At times I thank the goddesses for bringing you to me, but at the same time I wonder if perhaps it was not in their plans or they had nothing to do with at all. Whichever is the truth, I always feel thankful that you came into my life, Samus Aran." Zelda looked right at the opaque visor, knowing that behind it were the eyes she had come to love.

Samus was sure her heart might collapse or burst from her chest. How was she supposed to respond to that? When was the last time anyone was thankful that a deadly mercenary like herself was in their life? True, there had been circumstances where some people had been grateful to her and thankful she had come along, but with Zelda it felt so different.

"Zelda… I…" Why was it so hard to say what she wanted to?

The princess slid up in the hunter's lap and reached up to place her hands on either side of the helmet. She pressed her forehead against it. "It's alright, Samus. I know."

Samus shook her head in protest. She wanted to. She had to tell the princess what she felt, somehow. "Zelda, I really…like being with you, a lot. And because of that, if…bad things happened to you I wouldn't be able to stand it…! You're important to me and…"

Zelda moved back a bit then tapped her forehead against the helmet, the red jewel of her tiara clanked gently against it. "Please, don't force yourself. It's alright, you don't have to say anything. I understand completely."

"No! I need to say this! You deserve to hear it properly…" The bounty hunter sighed and tapped on her arm cannon before shifting a bit to avoid dropping the princess from her lap. Samus placed her hand and arm cannon on her helmet and pulled it off, revealing her face.

Seeing those fierce blue eyes again after a long while made the princess's heart skip a beat.

"I'm also glad we met. I'm happy that we're friends," Samus continued, "… I know that I have few I can consider friends and allies here and there, but I always keep them at arm's length. And I never found any reason to actually _talk_ with anyone. But with you… This is the most I've ever spoken out loud, and it mostly happens…because you're with me. You make me want to talk more. Because I want to talk with you more…"

Zelda lifted her hand and caressed the hunter's cheek lovingly, feeling her affection for the warrior grow even more.

"What I'm trying to say is…" Samus leaned her forehead against her partner's. "Zelda… I… I really…"

Before the bounty hunter could even finish her slightly nervous confession, the Hylian princess's lips were on hers, and all train of thought left the warrior. She wrapped her arms around Zelda's waist and pulled her closer while the fair maiden embraced her back.

When their lips parted, Zelda smiled warmly. "I love you too, Samus."

Samus could not help but smile back. She kissed her companion's cheek and sighed. "I love you, Zelda."

A long and comfortable silence followed for a while until Samus began clearing her throat and placed her helmet back on. Zelda watched in amusement as the red and embarrassed face of the hunter disappeared back under the visor. Suddenly, the tall and intimidating figure of the legendary bounty hunter curled up and all that was left was a smooth, round sphere.

Zelda giggled as Samus retreated into her Morphball form to hide from her own awkwardness. The princess looked at her companion fondly and reached over to stroke the metallic ball gently before she scooted closer and laid her head on top of it, a content expression on her face.

The Morphball shifted slightly and moved closer to the princess.


	6. Chapter VI: Howl

**Chapter VI: Howl**

 **Subjects: Samus Aran, (Twilight Princess) Link, (Twilight Princess) Zelda**

 **Summary: The land if full of mystique, and mysterious that has yet to be understood…**

Zelda pulled her cloak closer around her and kept her hood down over her face while she stood by the shop's door, waiting for Link to be done with the errands. While she wished her and her longtime friend would have the chance to wander about the town, they both knew it would be unwise, especially for ones like them.

Realizing Link would take a while, Zelda sighed and allowed her mind to wander for a little bit. It was a pity that they would not be able to enjoy the new and exciting sights of the nearby towns; she knew Link felt the urge to break the rules a bit and wander farther from home just a bit and though Zelda may never say it out loud, she too wished to explore other towns as opposed to simply running errands and quickly returning. Truly, it was unfortunate.

Zelda took a step back to look up at the sign of the shop as a means to keep her distracted from the growing boredom, only for her to bump into somebody who happened to be passing by just as she took her step back; the impact caused her hood to fall from her head.

With a gasp, Zelda turned to look at the one she had bumped into, only for her to crane her neck somewhat to look up at the rather tall individual.

"I apologize! I wasn't paying attention!" She said politely.

Seemingly unfazed by the little bump, the stranger shook her head and lifted a hand to indicate that there was no harm done. She was blonde with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, her eyes were a wonderful blue and her face sported sharp, handsome features. She wore a cloak over whatever clothing she had, but based on the large shoulders underneath the cloak, Zelda assumed she was either wearing armor or had plenty of gear underneath.

When the Hylian realized she must have been staring for while a bit, she winced at herself and was about to apologize again until she noticed that the stranger was staring at her as well.

The blonde woman tilted her head slightly in a rather curious manner. "Those ears…"

Zelda's eyes widened and she tensed having not realized that her hood was down now, exposing her pointed ears. Hastily, she pulled her hood up over her head to cover her ears again.

The stranger's eyes widened and held her hands up. "Sorry. Didn't mean to offend. Just…don't often see ears like that."

The fair Hylian looked at the taller with surprise, clearly not expecting such a response after seeing the pointed ears; it was one of the reasons she had to keep her guard up and be ready to retreat if ever her defining features as a Hylian were to be discovered.

But never in her life did she ever hear someone apologize for staring at her ears. "It's… No, it's fine. I am just not used to someone not reacting to them."

"… Why is that?" The stranger asked. Why would anyone react to a person's body part? True, rounded ears were more common but she saw nothing unusual about the woman in front of her.

Zelda was truly taken aback; did this stranger not know about Hylians and why it was best not to let it show? But what if she did know? If she did, then why not cause a commotion the moment she saw Zelda's ears?

"It's…a complicated reason. I'm sorry, I'd rather not speak of it." Zelda said, as she slipped a hand up and clutched her other arm.

The stranger just nodded. "Sorry. Just…don't often see ears like that."

"It's all right; it's the usual response I receive. And again, I apologize for bumping into you like I did. I let my mind wander off when I should have been keeping an eye out for my friend." Zelda said, glancing over to the shop's door.

The stranger followed her gaze. "Someone with you?"

Zelda nodded. "Yes. A friend. We're merely running errands and we shall be heading back after this."

She glanced at the taller woman who seemed to be looking at her surroundings with a tired sigh escaping her lips. Was she not from town? Perhaps not, since she looked quite lost.

Noticing the look, the blonde woman rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm here on a job. I was told just look around and nothing else. Doesn't really help much when the client refuses to be specific." She explained.

"Oh, I see. So you were merely told to explore?" Oddly enough, Zelda could not help but grow just a little bit curious.

"You could say that. Normally I would be told what I am after, then I would just do it and get my payment, and leave, instead of loitering around like this." She said, crossing her arms in annoyance as she observed the ongoing activity of the town.

Zelda nodded in understanding. "Perhaps you should see this as a chance to learn more of a place unknown to you. My friend and I rarely have the opportunity to do so. Our…errands keep us busy and moving about. We hardly have the time to take in our surroundings."

"Maybe." The woman huffed then glanced back at the Hylian. Hesitantly she turned to her and extended a hand. "… Samus Aran."

Zelda looked at her with surprise written all over her face and looked at the offered hand. Smiling politely, she took it. "I am Zelda."

"Nice to meet you." Samus said as they shook hands. She was not sure why she was introducing herself to a random stranger, but something about this Zelda was intriguing to her. Not that it mattered; she was here to do a job, not to socialize. Not that she was any good at it anyway.

The brunette nodded in response before asking, "If you don't mind my asking, Miss Aran… What is it you do?"

"Just Samus is fine," The blonde said before thinking about her answer.

She was not sure why she was reluctant to tell the woman in front of her that she was a bounty hunter; it was not like she kept her occupation a secret and there was no reason to. But maybe it was because Zelda seemed to have such a warm and gentle aura…

"I'm a bounty hunter." She said finally.

Zelda seemed quite surprised but she nodded. She then gestured at the prominent shoulders underneath the cloak. "Am I right in assuming that you are carrying your equipment with you?"

"Well…yes. But I'm at a loss right now." Samus looked around again, seeming to me losing patience with the lack of activity from her current mission.

If nothing happened for the next hour, she would need to have a talk with the client. She was already feeling quite anxious and not knowing what she was looking for or what she was after or supposed to do. Zelda watched the bounty hunter carefully, noticing the tense posture and the fidgeting.

Samus exhaled and turned to the brunette. "I better get going. It was uh…nice to meet you." She said, offering a small, albeit, awkward smile.

Zelda smiled back. "Take care of yourself then. I wish you luck on your mission."

Finally turning away, Samus headed off but not before sending one last glance the Hylian's way. The hunter then vanished among the crowd, with the fair Hylian watching as she did.

"Zelda! Sorry I took a while!" Link called as he finally exited the shop.

She jumped at the sound of her name and turned to face her longtime friend before sighing in relief. "Link…! I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere."

The blonde Hylian chuckled and pat her head. "Hey, it's fine. I know I took a while. So, how about we get out of here."

Zelda nodded and she, and Link, turned to head out of town.

* * *

The forest seemed to be rather peaceful, and Samus could find nothing wrong with the local wildlife. Despite this, the hunter had no intention of letting her guard down even if all seemed quiet.

The job was supposedly simple… Find evidence of anything going awry in the wilderness. But, being a veteran at what she does for years now, she could sense that there was probably more to it than to just investigate if anything was wrong in the area.

It felt more like her current client was asking her to take a look around and see for herself if she noticed anything was out of the ordinary, and then she may report back to her and he would finally give her all the details.

Samus sighed in exasperation; why can't some people just straight up say what they wanted from her? Why beat around the bush like this?

Perhaps it would give her some time to prepare for the worst as she always had. She would take a look around and see if anything was off, but depending on what the client might tell her she might just had to reconsider if he was up to something questionable. She may be a bounty hunter, but she was no blind fool of a lackey and she obeyed no one's demands, especially if it brought danger to those who didn't deserve it.

Samus grabbed her cloak and draped it around her, concealing her armor underneath, though the slightly bulky physique may be a giveaway. Still, she'd rather not flaunt her equipment around until it was time to get on with a hunt.

Deciding to take a short breather, the hunter made a stop at a stream and took off her helmet as she knelt down to scoop up water and splash it against her face.

The cool water soothed her nerves a bit and it was refreshing as well. Samus scooped up water in her palms again and sipped the fresh liquid before splashing her face once more; hopefully it could also keep her awake before she got too bored.

As the bounty hunter wiped her face, she caught a glimpse on the moving reflective surface of the water. Samus lifted her head and immediately found the source of the reflection.

A large brown wolf with a light underbelly, chest, and front legs and paws stood there on the other side of the stream; head bent down to enjoy a cool drink of water. As the hunter continued to stare, the animal finished its drink and turned its head, only to suddenly locked eyes with Samus.

It was an oddly majestic sight, even to the bounty hunter. She had seen all kinds of creatures; both the normal every day ones, and even unnatural ones, but for some reason, she felt as if the wolf was looking right back at her rather than just giving her a brief once-over. The beast seemed to have rather intelligent eyes, and it kept its eyes trained on the hunter's. The wolf tilted its head slightly, as if feeling curious about the human visitor on the other side of the stream.

Samus felt herself relaxed when the wolf did not move into a defensive posture, nor show any signs of aggression.

The bounty hunter felt an odd urge to beckon the beast over, but before she could even make a low whistle to catch its attention, the sound of howling reached her ears and she was immediately on her feet. She looked around for any signs of more wolves approaching, as the howl did not sound too far off. When no pack arrived at her location, Samus looked back to the lone wolf on the other side of the stream but was only met with emptiness.

The wolf had vanished.

* * *

 **Wanted to try out something a little different. While Samus is still a bounty hunter and wears armor, this time it's all more "medieval" but she is more advanced in comparison than most people around her.**

 **The setting itself is all medieval rather than one being from outer space and the other a medieval fantasy setting. However, I was inspired by a mix of Breath of the Wild and Final Fantasy IX so despite the setting, there is indeed impressive technology but ones fitting this medieval fantasy.**


	7. Chapter VII: Quiet Nights

**Chapter VII: Quiet Nights**

 **Subjects: (Fusion Suit) Samus Aran, (Breath of the Wild) Zelda**

 **Summary: While the world sleeps, two find comforting company with each other.**

The nights were peaceful in Hyrule, and it was not something Samus Aran was used to, especially when she lived a life full of danger, being a bounty hunter for a living. But now it seemed, that she was the one being hunted down, and all because she was doing what believed was right.

She had destroyed the research station in order to make sure nobody ever used those cloned metroids as weapons. Never again would she allow such a thing to happen. But now that she had destroyed both the BSL Station and the planet SR388, she knew the Federation would be coming after her.

And so the hunter had become the hunted.

At least, that was what she had believed. Samus had been wandering the depths of space for a long while and Adam, the ship's computer had done its best to comfort her, reassuring her that there would and could be at least one person who would understand why she did what she had to.

Eventually, she had to part ways with the ship its AI which she had named Adam, after the late Adam Malkovich. The computer had reasoned that since it had been issued to Samus by the Galactic Federation, it was likely that they would easily be able to track the ship down and find Samus. And so the bounty hunter had to reluctantly agree to say farewell after Adam landed them on a planet where Samus could lay low for a while and obtain a new ship, before taking off on its own and promising to leave the Decorah and Etecoons on a new planet where they could thrive again.

After she parted with Adam, Samus had made sure to keep a low profile as best as she could, and taking on small and simple jobs in order to save enough to at least get herself a new ship and modify it to her liking and needs.

She would not put it past the Federation to try and freeze her accounts so all her hard-earned credits would be inaccessible to her. It made her blood boil a bit when she thought of losing the earnings she saved up throughout her career, but what angered her more was that the Federation seemed to be no better than the Space Pirates, with their plan to clone and weaponize metroids. She did not, even for a second, buy the 'peaceful applications' excuse.

When Samus had finally managed to obtain a new ship, she'd immediately began working on it until it was close to the usual model of the gunship she had always used. Once it was ready to take flight, Samus left before word of her whereabouts reached the ears of the Federation.

The bounty hunter was now prey and it put her on edge even more than she usually was already. She had traveled farther, even beyond where the Federation's control did not reach. But she had also gotten lost for a while until she had found herself heading towards a planet she was not familiar with.

Upon landing, she instantly realized that it was indeed nothing like the other places she had been to; it was as if she had stepped into a whole other world entirely, or perhaps even another universe.

Where she had landed, everything seemed lush and green, teeming with flora and fauna. She had no idea where she was, at all.

Of course, like every planet she had been on, she had encountered some hostile life forms of varying sizes and species, and many of them seemed capable of wielding and using tools and weapons. But since they seemed to be rather primitive beings, Samus had no trouble dispatching them, even those that towered over her completely.

Eventually, the commotion had attracted some of the locals who had stopped dead in their tracks at the rather frightful awe at the scene before them; a strange warrior in odd armor seemingly covered in blue flesh-like material, surrounded by the many corpses of some of the monster population.

Of course, it scared them out of their skins and they began shaking in their boots when Samus had turned her attention towards them. She had tried convincing them that she meant no harm, even saying it out loud so they would know she was not just some mindless beast.

Though they were reluctant, they did allow to show Samus the way to civilization. Hyrule Castle Town.

The bounty hunter had followed the locals there and they had instructed Samus to attempt to gain an audience with the king, even volunteering to take her in to see him. While she sensed they meant well, Samus felt like she was being taken into custody like a criminal. She kept her thoughts to herself and remained silent and observant.

Everything was so different from what she knew and from the planets she usually saw in her lifetime.

It had been easy to get an audience with the king when she was a complete and utter oddity compared to everyone else, being dressed in very unusual armor.

In the end, she had been left alone in the throne room to face the monarch of the land. He had regarded her with suspicion and his expression remained neutral and the hunter guessed that he wished not to give away what he was thinking to a dangerous-looking stranger. She could not exactly fault him for that.

What Samus did not expect, however, was the king to have an offspring. A daughter, to be exact.

He had scolded her when she had suddenly walked into the large room, seemingly covered in dust, dirt and some grass stains. Under her helmet, Samus had raised an eyebrow at the sight. The woman was young, her eyes were a bright green, her hair was blonde and long, reaching all the way down her back; her clothes were blue with some white parts, black breeches and brown boots. Her hand was covered in black fingerless gloves.

The king had sent a stern glare her way and immediately the young woman bowed and apologized. When the princess lifted her head, her eyes locked with Samus' through the Fusion Suit's visor. In almost an instant, the king's daughter had a spark of intrigue in her eyes. But she remained polite and greeted Samus before moving to stand beside her father at his throne.

Fortunately for the bounty hunter, the king was tolerant enough to allow her to seek refuge in his kingdom after she had explained her situation, but making sure to keep out the details about her being now possibly labeled as a fugitive by the government she assisted time and time again. As far as the king knew, she was being ostracized because she did something to protect innocent people only to be chased out for it.

As Samus spoke, she could not help but sense the princess's eyes on her the entire time. She still had that curious look in her eyes and it seemed as if she was dying to ask questions, but held back any sort of erratic behavior for the sake of her father. Oddly enough, Samus found it rather charming.

After the hunter had been dismissed, it did not take long for the princess to seek her out. She had been polite but at the same time, the hunter could see she was trying to hold it a lot of excited questions and the princess did not want to put her off.

Zelda. Her name.

Ever since that day, Samus found herself spending quite some time with the curious princess even to the point that she began accompanying her on her little excursions outside of the castle, with the company of what Samus assumed was one each of the many different races Hyrule had. One of them was Hylian, just as Zelda was.

And now here she was, standing right out the princess's bedroom door. She could not sleep, as usual, but she had an urge to see Zelda tonight and she knew the princess would be awake as well, working on something new or studying the technology that they had recently discovered.

Although this planet was very much behind on its technological advancements, and it seems with these robotic machines they call Guardians being something that was discovered not too long ago, yet not too recently, Samus felt that it was almost not too different from what she was familiar with.

Samus knocked on the door softly and waited until she heard a soft "Come in" from within the room. The hunter opened the door and stepped in, and was greeted by the sight of parchments scattered around the room, and the fireplace was crackling with the gentle flames of the fire.

Zelda herself was at her desk, but stood to face Samus once the hunter stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"Ah. Hello, Samus," Zelda greeted in a soft, low voice. "I am glad to see you."

Samus nodded and took a step forward. She was about to speak, but the princess quickly made her way to the bounty hunter and pressed the tips of her fingers against the bottom of the visor, as if trying to press them against the hunter's lips through the helmet.

Ever since they had become better acquainted to the point that they now considered each other good friends, Zelda seemed to have learned how to pick up on what Samus was feeling or was attempting to say without words, even when the hunter's expressions were obscured by her helmet and opaque visor.

"Shh… We must be quiet. You know how my father feels about my studies." Zelda whispered, looking up at her.

Samus just nodded in understanding and stepped further into the room, being careful as to not step on any of the parchments. During her stay, she had come to learn that Princess Zelda was a rather curious soul indeed; she found the mechanical Guardians, and science fascinating but it was to the displeasure of her father who seemed more intent on getting her to awaken some sort of power. Something the hunter assumed was like a trait their family had in their DNA that would likely show at a certain age. But it seemed Zelda had yet to activate whatever it was but to no avail.

So instead, the princess turned to studies of science and learning about the technology they had discovered.

Her inquisitive and studious nature showed immediately when she had asked Samus questions, even wondering about the bounty hunter's armor. And when she learned of the gunship, she had wanted to see it firsthand.

Usually, it would put Samus off just as any scientist did; they always poked and prodded and got in too deep until they attempt to create something they could not control, only for everything to spiral out of control because they attempted to play god. And when it came to Samus, they would often attempt to understand the nature of her Power Suit, and even her anatomy from the inside out. All because she had been infused with Chozo DNA and had been subject to grueling training since the age of three. However, the hunter knew not all scientists were like that. Some actually meant well and it just blew out of proportion, and sometimes they had no choice in the matter when their superiors pressured them to death.

But with Zelda, Samus did not feel as bothered.

Zelda was just as curious as any scientist, but when Samus looked at her, observed her, she saw that the princess had genuine curiosity, she was truly intrigued and never poked and prodded; she did not want Samus to feel uncomfortable and would retract and take a step back whenever she felt the hunter did not wish to be prodded about anything; she only wanted to learn, wanted to understand how things worked, how the world around her moved. She wanted to discover without the intention or ulterior motive to be do something that might bring the wrath of the force of nature.

Zelda was also not put off by how silent Samus was most of the time. The bounty hunter did not speak as often and only spoke out of necessity, such as when she had to explain her situation to King Rhoam. However, the hunter just assumed it was because Zelda already dealt someone like Link, another Hylian who also did not speak as much.

Whatever the case, Samus was quite thankful that Zelda seemed fine with her silence.

Samus looked around the room and it was clear that the princess had indeed been busy. She then looked at her and tilted her head slightly in question.

Zelda smiled in understanding. "Yes, you can stay a while if you wish."

The bounty hunter nodded and moved over to where Zelda had been busying herself. She had tiny bits and parts on her desk, along with some notes scattered about. No doubt this was Zelda's organized mess.

Samus made her way to the fireplace and sat down, watching the gentle flames as they danced in the hearth, but the sound of Zelda shuffling around, caught the hunter's attention and she turned to see the princess fiddling with the tiny bits that had been sitting on her table, and beside her was the Sheikah Slate.

Samus had been surprised when the princess had first showed it to her; it was the kind of technology she was familiar with; not only was it a tablet, but it had other applications such as taking pictures. To the beings on this planet, it was new and mysterious that something could capture real life images just like that without using a paint brush. Though it did seem like the Sheikah Slate had other applications and functions that seemed odd, even to Samus. Or rather, she did not expect that little tablet to have such big applications installed in them, rather than the usual, standard business apps or apps for entertainment.

When she had expressed her familiarity with such technology, Zelda's eyes had brightened up and she had asked Samus if she could figure out any of the other functions that the Sheikah Slate might have.

The hunter gave it a try, seeing no harm in doing so. She managed to use the Slate with ease after some fiddling around, and while she was familiar with the concept of a tablet like the Sheikah Slate, she still found herself surprised and a little confused by the kinds of applications it held.

It was as if Hyrule's technology were combined with that of magic, something the hunter realized ran quite strong in the world she was in. And while real magic was something she could not real grasp the concept of due to coming from a more advanced setting, she had no trouble believing that the technology had a mix of magic and science. Somehow.

The closest thing she could compare it with was that of the Chozo's own advancements. It came a lot closer to what Hyrule may have compared to any other theories.

The Chozo also came in mind when Samus first met Revali; a Champion from the Rito race. A race that Samus learned that consisted of bird-people. She had been reminded of the race that had adopted her, but Revali had shown himself to be quite the pompous who needed to be taken down a notch or two. Of course, Samus never bothered to say so out loud. If the bird-man wanted to show off and act like he was above it all, then that was his business.

Samus snapped out of her thoughts when Zelda approached her and sat down beside her.

It was strange; the princess had once felt bothered by Link's silence, though she had gotten used to it as their friendship grew and she came to understand him, but when it came to Samus she felt more than comfortable, rather than feeling the same frustration or annoyance she once had with Link. Perhaps it was because she learned from having him close almost all the time, but the princess felt it was nothing like that at all.

Samus was different from everyone else on Hyrule; that much was certain. She was from a strange new world, having come from the heavens itself. Or at least, that was how people would describe it. The hunter had a craft that could not only soar through the sky, but also leave the entire land of Hyrule behind and see the world from a distance.

"I've been studying the discoveries that were found today. Of course, I haven't told my father…" Zelda said after a moment.

Samus looked at the princess and tilted her head. She did not see why the king was so against his daughter studying so hard, especially about something that seemed to be such a mystery that only the most brilliant of minds could understand.

Sensing the question, the princess sighed. "He still believes I should spend more time praying at springs…continuing my training until I finally manage to…"

Zelda stared down at her hands and frowned at the memory of her father scolding her for 'wasting her time' studying the Guardians and other ancient relics. Before she could get too lost in thought, she felt a hand on top of hers and looked at Samus.

She felt as if the hunter was the only one who could understand her fully, given that she had come from a far off place that had such advancements and ones who studied them for a living. Samus also never judged her; Zelda never felt like the hunter expected nothing from her and it was just a breath of fresh air to have someone treat her as just Zelda, rather than a princess.

"Do you mind if I…take some notes?" Zelda asked softly, looking up at the hunter.

Samus nodded and watched as the inquisitive princess reached over to grab a notebook and started to jot down something on the pages. It was quite endearing when she became excited over a new discovery or when she learned something.

There were also the moments when Zelda would just simple touch Samus' arm cannon and stare at it as if it were an artifact as well; she would ask about its functions and even try to learn how it could be operated from inside the armor. But she always took a step back when she thought she was making the hunter uncomfortable or irritated. But in truth, Samus had as much fun watching her.

Zelda muttered to herself as she wrote down in her notebook before she suddenly stopped and looked at the hunter. "I'm sorry. I've been so rude. Would you…like anything to drink?"

Samus watched as she got up and went to her table and picked up a cup with a teaspoon still in it. The princess began to stir whatever was inside.

Zelda returned to the hunter's side with the teacup in hand. "I don't know how warm it will still be but…I have some tea here. You can have mine, if you wish. Or, I can just fetch you something else you might like…"

Before Zelda could get back up to leave for the kitchens, Samus placed her free hand on the princess's shoulder, and shook her head, letting Zelda know she did not mind the tea

"Oh, well then… Here, you can have some of mine." The fair Hylian handed her the cup, a slight tint of pink covering her cheeks.

The hunter looked at the tea before she placed her hand and arm cannon on her helmet, taking it off and revealing her face. Samus placed her helmet aside before taking the cup of tea and taking a sip. The beverage was still warm and it had a familiar taste, but not something Samus usually tasted in tea, not that she was a big tea-drinker.

"It's peppermint…" Zelda said, noticing Samus' questioning expression. "It's…my favorite."

The hunter nodded. "It's good."

Hearing Samus' voice after such a long time made the princess jump slightly in surprise, but she smiled. "Of course, my father only gets the best. One of the only perks of being royalty…"

Samus nodded in understanding. She had seen the tension between Zelda and her father, and all the princess wished to do is to study and learn about how everything around her work, and to interact with others. But the king would always scold and insist that his daughter continue her training and prayers.

It was evenings like this that Zelda could be herself without her father being there to judge her interests, and Samus did not mind keeping the curious princess company.

After a moment of silence, Zelda offered Samus more of her tea and the hunter took another sip. It was still strange to the hunter that she was able to relax easily when she was around the princess; she was always on-guard or tense in case of any dangers, considering her occupation. But something about Zelda made her calm.

"You like quite sleepy," Zelda said softly. Her bright green eyes gazed upon the bounty hunter's handsome features.

Samus shook her head, denying it, but she had been unable to sleep properly for a while. Especially when she knew she was still laying low, away from the eyes of the Galactic Federation. When she glanced at the princess, she could tell that Zelda could see through her.

"I'm sorry. I suppose I have been more occupied with… Um… Come closer?" Zelda said.

Shrugging, Samus slid closer to her companion and, to her surprise, Zelda placed her hands on the taller woman's shoulders and gently pulled her down until Samus' head was laying on her lap. Samus opened her mouth to protest but Zelda pressed a finger to the hunter's lips and smiled at her warmly.

"Shh… It's alright. Just relax, and close your eyes. I don't mind you sleeping here, if that's what you're worried about. You know, you're always welcome in my quarters."

Samus sighed but felt unable to resist the warmth of the princess, and the way those lovely green eyes looked at her with such genuine care and compassion. All her life Samus preferred being on her own and she saw no point in sticking around for too long in one place to form attachments aside from the occasional ally.

Zelda carefully undid the hunter's ponytail and stroked her hair before beginning to hum a sort of lullaby. The tune was unrecognizable to the hunter, but she had heard the princess hum it before and it seemed to happen whenever Zelda fell into a negative state of mind. But now the princess was doing it just for Samus.

Soon, the hunter found herself feeling drowsy. Zelda's warmth and the sound of her voice humming her lullaby was surprisingly working wonders on the usually sleep-deprived bounty hunter. Samus gazed up at the fair maiden and was given a smile in return. Slowly, and shyly, Zelda leaned down towards Samus until their noses barely brushed. Their eyes widened slightly at their closeness but neither made a move to pull away.

"I am so glad that we met, Samus Aran," Zelda said and pressed a gently kiss to the hunter's forehead.

The feeling of the princess's lips against her skin was enough to draw out a small gasp of surprise from Samus, as well as a slight blush. Zelda just giggled a bit and continued to stroke the hunter's hair.

As sleep took over her, Samus made the decision that perhaps she may stay in Hyrule for a little while longer.

* * *

 **Some canon divergences and fusing those two stories together. I thought it might be cute to have Samus interact a bit with Breath of the Wild Zelda, who happens to be quite the cute science nerd. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter; I had fun writing it!**

 **Until then…**


	8. Chapter VIII: Waltz

**Chapter VIII: Waltz**

Samus Aran doesn't do formal shindigs. She never enjoyed them, nor did she have the patience for them. The only reason these formal events were held was just so some military or political big-shot could show off. Someone like Samus Aran, a bounty hunter, had no place in such events and that was perfectly fine with her.

However, certain acquaintances have insisted that Samus attend this event. If Adam and Anthony hadn't been the ones to encourage her to attend, she would have ignored the invitation altogether and continued on her way.

But now as she stood there in the corner of the ballroom, she began to feel restless and a little rueful for having given in. Despite the formal attire many others around her wore, Samus remained in armor. However, instead of its usual colors, her power suit took on what she referred to as a "Formal Mode".

A little modification made to her armor but one she never bothered to ever use or sometimes she just forgot about it entirely. Old Bird and Grey Voice had implemented the mode into her armor long ago, for situations in case she may need to attend events such as these. But of course, Samus hardly interacted casually with other people. And this night was the first time she was using Formal Mode at all.

Her armor's chest piece was now golden in color, and the lights running along them were glowing red, as well as on other parts of the suit. The rest of her armor were colored black-and-white to mimic the appearance of a tuxedo, and her visor was a shade of teal. And the shoulders of the armor, while still rather bulky, looked sleeker with pointed edges to them. To help add some 'charm' to her dashing appearance, Anthony had given Samus a white bowtie and placed it under the spot between the helmet and chest piece of the armor.

She felt more comfortable in her armor anyhow, and she was thankful that Anthony did not try to push her to wear an actual suit instead, when she insisted she would use her armor's Formal Mode. It was either be allowed to take her Power Suit along or she would simply skip the event. It was not a loss to her whatsoever. However, Adam did request that Samus keep her arm cannon out of sight and so the bounty hunter had to keep her cannon dematerialized during the entirety of the party.

When she questioned Anthony as to why she was even invited in the first place, he told her that the politicians, especially Chairman Keaton, wished for her to attend. After all, she was considered a valuable asset and ally by the Galactic Federation, and a hero to the local populace.

Samus had merely sighed and shook her head, denying the titles, and Anthony did not need to hear her speak to understand what she thought about this 'high honor'.

She refused the drinks offered to her and merely listened, or at least pretended to, and nodded when being conversed with. At times, Anthony, and even Adam would come to her rescue, allowing her to escape and remain at a distance from the rest of the party guests.

The lone bounty hunter spent the majority of the party observing each of the guests, taking in her surroundings as if something might occur. While she knew everyone was certain that the area was secure, one could never know when an attack might occur. It sounded as if she might have grown somewhat paranoid, but she was just too used to frequent to constant attacks. It had become second nature to expect anything.

As the guests walked or waltzed by, some took notice of Samus and some whispers and gossip started. Of course the hunter took no notice and simply ignored the talks going on with some of the attendees. Her visor scanned the entire area until she began to feel as if she was being watched. Samus narrowed her eyes and her eyes looked around the room once again.

Her eyes connected with a woman who stood at the other side of the ballroom. She was tall, but Samus would easily tower over her; the woman's ears were pointed, her hair was pristine without a strand out of place, her eyes were a dark shade of blue, but they seemed to shine brightly as they stared right at Samus. Her dress was immaculate and she clearly fit in among these high-class people. And yet something about the way she looked at the hunter made Samus feel a pang of curiosity. She had been certain the woman was most likely looking at somebody behind her or a few meters in front of her, but the more she observed the woman, Samus realized she was looking right at her.

The bounty hunter was used to people staring at her for many different reasons, and she had learned to ignore them. They were of no consequence after all.

But the way the woman was gazing at her, it made Samus feel as if the entire room had faded out of existence and that the stranger was paying attention to nothing else but her. It was an odd feeling; it was as if she were the only being that existed at that moment, and that only the two of them stood there and nobody else.

Their eyes remained lock until somebody approached, requesting the woman's attention. Her eyes remained on Samus for a bit longer before she turned to the fellow guest, but it did not seem to stop her from glancing over at the hunter.

Samus tilted her head slightly. She could not seem to stop watching her either; it made no sense as she was just another one of these typical politicians, but whenever Samus noticed her eyes boring into very soul, she felt the urge to…approach.

Shaking her head, Samus stopped herself and remained in place.

As the party continued, she began to grow restless and began to wander about. She still kept a distance from the other guests despite some of their attempts to communicate with her. She merely shrugged them off or ignored them outright.

"Hey Princess. Feeling bored already? I don't blame you," Anthony chuckled as he moved over to her.

Samus shrugged and she knew he would understand that. Anthony was one of the only people she could easily interact with without being judged for her silence. He was a good friend to her and continued to be so to this day; trustworthy and dependable.

"You know, you're quite popular with the ladies…" Anthony chuckled behind his glass of wine and nodded over behind Samus' shoulder. "That one's been watching you for a while."

Shoulders tensing slightly, Samus turned around, her sights going past the other formally-dressed women who were gossiping and giggling as they looked in awe at Samus' tuxedo-colored armor, to see the same brunette stranger watching her again. This time she smiled politely.

Despite her helmet, Samus could not help but smile back even though the stranger could not see it. Anthony raised an eyebrow, an amused expression coming upon his features. Without another word, he stepped back and left the hunter. Samus could handle herself after all.

The stranger turned and headed off in another direction before stopping and glanced over her shoulder to look at the hunter again.

Immediately, Samus felt her curiosity kick in once more and the body language of the lovely stranger made it clear; she wanted to be followed. Steeling herself, the bounty hunter stepped forward, once again paying no mind to anybody else in the room as she began to trail after the stranger.

Very soon, the sound of the crowd and music, the sound of chattering and glasses clinking against each other became distant.

Samus remained cautious at all times as she went after the fair stranger who continued wandering onward, not seeming to have a destination in mind. At times she would stop to look at the hunter, and the smiles she gave her were that of someone who was utterly fascinated and curious. Samus for her part, was rather puzzled at her own decision. This scenario could lead into danger for all she knew, and yet she willingly went after this woman who merely watched her from across the room and seemed to have a rather mysterious aura.

While the stranger was still within her sights, Samus' visor scanned her for anything that might seem off, but nothing out of the ordinary came up in her scans. All the more reason for the hunter to grow more curious.

They kept a decent distance from each other but it did not stop them from exchanging looks from across the space between them.

There just seemed to be something ethereal about the fair lady. The way she held herself, the way she stood there, the way she moved… It all seemed surprisingly graceful, natural, unlike those who strut about to make themselves look important. And most of all, her eyes seemed to shine with wisdom beyond her years.

Samus moved closer and the stranger began moving farther away, but it seemed to be almost playful instead of being fearful of the bounty hunter.

The look made the hunter's cheeks feel strangely warm. Nevertheless, she continued to take another step closer and once she was close enough, the fair lady decided to move past her, purposefully making sure to brush up against the hunter.

Samus raised an eyebrow as the stranger's gloved hand seemed to brush against her armored abdomen before putting some distance between herself and the hunter.

It was as if there were a powerful pull, an invisible force, driving them to continue this little game. They wandered a bit farther from the actual party. Samus still maintained her sense of caution as she continued this seemingly playful chase.

What was driving her to do this? Why was she willingly following this stranger when she would and should usually ignore such nonsense and be wary of potential dangers? Was she under some sort of possession? Was she being controlled without realizing it?

The little chase continued on until finally, the stranger stopped again and allowed Samus to come closer once more. She looked up at the hunter as Samus towered over her, and she seemed not at all intimidated by the visor staring back at her. No words were said, even as the fair lady stepped closer.

Samus watched as the stranger reached out and began to curiously run her gloved hands down the Power Suit's golden chest, seeming to take in every single detail she could. The way she watched her own hands move, Samus could see a sense of puzzlement as well, as if the stranger also had no clue why she was doing this; touching a perfect stranger as if they were familiar with each other.

The bounty hunter's fingers twitched as she felt the urge to…touch her in return. She was very certain she was not even intoxicated as she had refused any sort of food or beverages that were offered to her, but perhaps this fair stranger was under some sort of intoxication as the bounty hunter had seen her with a glass of wine at one point. But just looking at her face, and then scanning her, Samus saw no signs of drunkenness; so the fair stranger was just as sober as she was.

Deciding to take a risk, Samus lifted a hand and traced an armored finger along the blue jewel that sat at the center of the stranger's golden tiara. A surprised look made its way onto the maiden's face, before her blue eyes softened and she moved one hand up to caress the side of Samus' helmet.

The hunter tilted her head, silently asking a question and the stranger seemed to understand.

She took a step back and cleared her throat before straightening her posture; her expression was rather apologetic.

Samus raised an eyebrow but shook her head and stepped back as well. Taking a look at her current surroundings, it seemed that nobody else was wandering about the building and were still preoccupied with the party. But this made the area they were in much quieter and empty, meaning they had the space to themselves. Still, the quiet was preferable to the hunter than the chatter and gossip of bigwigs and politicians.

Before she realized what had gotten into her, Samus offered her hand to the stranger who looked at her with surprise. The hunter mentally smacked herself and was about to lower her hand, until the stranger placed her hand in Samus' armored one.

Glancing behind her, Samus guided the stranger to the center of the room, and then seemed to freeze once they got there. Again, she mentally smacked herself; what was she doing? She was clueless and had no idea how to dance, and yet here she was, acting and posing as if she knew how to do so.

To her surprise, the fair maiden smiled in understanding and took Samus' other hand, placing it at her waist and then interlacing her other hand with the hunter's before taking the lead in the waltz.

As she expected, Samus found herself stumbling clumsily, which was a rather amusing and embarrassing sight to see the usually cool, composed and powerful bounty hunter tripping over her feet and nearly falling over the fair stranger.

The maiden only smiled despite almost having her toes stepped on, and guided the hunter until Samus was beginning to understand the steps and her stumbling became less frequent.

Samus' eyes widened when she realized she was actually dancing; it was still quite clumsy, but she was no longer bumbling around or stepping on her dance partner's toes, and she was flowing with her more smoothly than the start.

The stranger smiled at her again, her eyes shining in such a way that it was clear she was silently complimenting the hunter for learning the steps rather quickly for somebody who obviously never waltzed before in her entire life.

Samus stopped dancing then tilted her head again. She usually kept silent and only spoke if she felt there was the urgent need to. However, despite a part of her wanting to speak out loud to this odd stranger, she had noticed that the fair lady did not seem the least bit bothered by her silence and seemed to even understand. Which was fairly new to the hunter as usually people wouldn't understand what she was trying to convey unless it was a yes or no, or a shrug, or if she just spoke.

Time seemed to have stopped for the both of them, and neither had the desire to walk away at that moment. It was a strange feeling to the two women, and although they realize they must return to the party and the eye of the public, they were in no rush to do so.

The fair maiden, for the second time that night, ran her hands along Samus' armor, admiring its majesty and the aura of power the woman inside held. Something told her she should feel even a little bit intimidated by this decorated warrior, but whenever she gazed up at the visor and it stared back at her, she could not bring herself to feel any sort of fear.

They did not know each other, nor did they even speak a single word to the other. And yet something drew them together. Something more than mere curiosity.

Eventually, the stranger looked to where the party was still ongoing and Samus followed her gaze before inwardly sighing. She had somehow allowed herself to get carried away with this strange fantasy and this stranger. She had been dazzled before she even noticed what was happening, only to dance part of the night away. And now, they had to inevitably let this little fantasy end.

Still, Samus offered her arm for the stranger to take and she had to admit, she found the blush on the woman's face rather adorable, and lovely.

The lovely stranger took Samus' arm and they walked side-by-side, back to the ballroom where the rest of the guests were still conversing and mingling.

Once they were partway there, the bounty hunter stopped and looked at her companion. She tensed a bit but the stranger noticed and slowly slipped her hand off the blonde's arm and just nodded at her in thanks. With one last warm smile, she stepped into the ballroom on her own so that Samus would not have to worry about being seen with someone on her arm.

It felt strangely cold when the stranger departed from her side, but she shrugged it off and returned to the party.

The maiden was nowhere sight the moment Samus stepped in and she could not help but feel a little disappointed, but a part of her wondered if she had imagined it all; perhaps it was just a hallucination. One that felt all too real, especially the waltz between them.

Shaking her head from these thoughts, Samus spotted Adam and Anthony and made her way over to them. She stood nearby for the rest of the night, though her eyes and visor still scanned the room for the mysterious woman.

* * *

As she had expected _,_ there had been a catch for her attendance the party. One of the guests had approached her while she stood with Adam and Anthony, and had requested her services. Though it was nothing new and she was not about to turn down another mission that would get her paid.

Now she had her ship on a course to meet with the client at a space station. They had insisted that they meet her there and share the details rather than discuss it during the party. Whatever they had in mind, Samus hoped it would not be a waste of time.

As the bounty hunter docked her ship an exited the vessel, she was greeted by a soldier who saluted her before gesturing for her to follow him to the next room. Samus just nodded and did so, keeping her guard up, and her senses on high alert as usual.

The soldier stepped into the next room and announced Samus Aran's arrival before being dismissed. He saluted and gestured to the hunter to go ahead before leaving her.

Once she was left alone with the clients, one of them turned and smiled politely. "Ah, Miss Aran. Welcome." _Samus nodded and stepped forward._

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. As we agreed, we shall discuss the details of your mission and then we may also discuss your reward…" The representative said as he led Samus towards the others who were with him.

Samus froze in her tracks upon reaching them, and she had to wonder if she was still dreaming or hallucinating. Before stood a familiar figure. She turned around to look at Samus before stepping closer. Just like the night before, time stopped and everything else around them seemed to fade out as they focused on each other.

The stranger offered her hand and smiled. "I am Zelda of Hyrule. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Samus Aran."

The bounty hunter took Zelda's hand and shook it before she spoke to her for the first time. "Pleasure to meet you…Zelda."

* * *

 **This scenario had been in my head for a long while. I had a powerful urge and I wanted to let it out. So here you go! Hope you all enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I feel like I could have done better but it should be, hopefully, passable. Happy reading!**

 **Until then…**


	9. Chapter IX: Healing

**Chapter IX: Healing**

 **Subjects: (Ocarina of Time) Zelda, Samus Aran**

Samus sat up and winced when she felt her body ache and sting in protest. The painful sensations made her pause and take in her surroundings. It was quite dark but she could see well enough to examine herself.

She carefully ran a hand down her torso and felt the material of bandages wrapped around her. The bounty hunter sighed and remained still for a moment, thinking back to how she could have possibly ended up where she currently was. She did not remember stripping down, let alone bandaging herself up and getting into a bed.

Realization hit her when it sunk in that she was in bed. Once her eyes were fully-adjusted to the dark, she took a better look at herself. Her wounds had been dressed entirely and she was clad in only a pair of black boxers she recalled was from her limited collection of clothing.

Once everything was beginning to come together and disorientation faded, Samus felt that there were eyes on her. It made her tense for a moment as she turned to her side. A pair of bright blue eyes gazed up at her and Samus relaxed upon recognizing that very gaze.

"Are you feeling better?" Zelda asked softly, her eyes remaining on the bounty hunter the entire time.

Samus shifted a bit until her body was facing Zelda who reached up to stroke the bounty hunter's cheek gently. Immediately, Samus placed her hand over the princess's and nuzzled into her palm, as a way to reassure the fair Hylian, and herself.

"Thank the goddesses…" Zelda said, sighing in relief as she sat up, her hand still under the hunter's and pressed to her cheek. "Do your recall what happened earlier?"

Samus stared at her silently and shook her head slowly, only vaguely remembering what had taken place before she woke up in what she now knew to be Zelda's bedchambers, and on the princess's bed.

Zelda shifted closer to the bounty hunter, and pressed their foreheads together.

"You were in terrible shape when you returned. You suddenly collapsed the moment you stepped into the throne room. Everybody was panicking quite a bit and would have kicked up a bigger fuss if it weren't for Impa. Your wounds were quite…" Zelda trailed off, leaning away, and shook her head. "I managed to heal the worst wounds you had, thankfully, but you still required some treatment."

Samus looked down at herself again before moving her gaze back to the princess.

"I managed to take the helmet off and your armor disappeared," Zelda explained, knowing what the hunter was silently asking. "You scared me, Samus."

"Sorry," The blonde said and pressed a kiss to the princess's forehead gently, reassuringly, before she leaned in closer to nuzzle her nose against her partner's temple.

Zelda smiled and nudged her head closer, rubbing her cheek against Samus' before a delightful shiver ran down her back as Samus nuzzled and nibbled on the tip monarch's pointed ear, very gently pulling on it with her teeth. Zelda giggled and squirmed slightly but the hunter held her in place.

To the princess, this was a good sign that Samus had recovered, and is still recovering. The hunter was still in bad shape but at least she was now well enough to move a little bit.

"I'm just glad you're safe, Samus." Zelda nestled into her lover's chest, placing a hand over the hunter's heart and feeling that familiar heartbeat under her palm; and it sunk in that her beloved space warrior was still alive and was home again, and in her arms.

Samus ran her fingers through Zelda's long, golden locks that was free from the crown that the princess usually wore upon her head. The fair Hylian was also dressed in a lovely white nightdress with a red bow tied at the chest. The bounty hunter blushed slightly but shook her head; this was not the first time she had seen Zelda dressed for bed.

"It may take a while for you to fully heal. You won't be able to head off for a while," Zelda said, knowing the bounty hunter might be anxious about heading back into space. She knew what Samus' life was like and she would never even dream of stopping Samus from being a bounty hunter and she could trust that her beloved would always return, even if it may not always be in the best condition. But at the moment, Samus was in no condition to just leave again.

The space warrior just nodded in understanding and sighed before lying back on the pillows, staring at the ceiling. Zelda watched her for a moment before reaching over and pulling Samus' hair free from its usual ponytail. She got a glance from the hunter in response.

Zelda leaned in close until she was hovering above Samus. Their eyes locked for a long time before the princess carefully laid her head on the hunter's shoulder.

Without any hesitation, Samus wrapped her arms around her beloved and kept her close despite the princess's gentle protests against it for the sake of not worsening Samus' injuries, but the hunter just shook her head, letting her fair maiden know she was not in pain and she did not mind Zelda being on top of her like this.

They shared tender gazes and loving smiles, with the full moon outside as their only source of light through the bedroom window.

Zelda leaned forward and pressed her lips to Samus', their kiss slow and gentle. Their lips danced and their hands began to wander, with Zelda's fingers being gentler to avoid hurting the warrior woman beneath her. She felt Samus' hands running along her lower back and it made the princess shiver. Even now, the hunter's touch made her weak in the knees in the best way possible and Zelda was well aware that she had the same effect on the hunter.

"Samus…?"

The bounty hunter stopped and looked at the princess with a concerned expression on her face, as if she was worried that she might have hurt or scared Zelda in some way. Instead, the princess just shook her head and smiled lovingly before kissing her the hunter's lips, gently.

At times, it scared Samus just how easily she had come to, and would, heed to every whim of the Hylian princess. But she trusted Zelda with her entire being, just as she knew Zelda trusted her in return; time and time again they had brought each other from the edge, came to one another's aid at great times of need, and their bond only grew stronger as time went on.

Zelda's hands wandered down Samus' body, stroking her hips before moving her hands along the space warrior's muscled abdomen. It earned the fair Hylian a delightful shiver from her beloved bounty hunter.

At that moment they lost their awareness of everything around them and focused only on each other. Focused on just touching, caressing, stroking, loving one another.

Samus was gentle, but did not treat Zelda so delicately as if she were made of glass. In all their time together, she had learned not to underestimate the princess despite her regal appearance and delicate features. The hunter ran her hand along her princess's arms, admiring the slender muscles she had gained from her archery training.

"What is on your mind?" Zelda whispered, caressing Samus' cheek lovingly.

Samus smiled warmly and tapped her finger against the center of Zelda's chest. The sparkle in the princess's bright blue eyes told Samus that she understood.

"You are often on my mind as well." The fair Hylian said with a chuckle as she played with Samus' long, blonde strands. She had to admit that she quite enjoyed seeing the hunter's hair down as much as she did when Samus had her hair in its usual ponytail.

Before she realized it, the hunter shifted until she was above Zelda, and under the moonlight, her eyes seemed to have a glow to them. There was mix of different emotions in them, but the most prominent was that of affection, adoration, and desire.

Zelda wrapped her arms around Samus and she felt the taller woman lower her body onto her own in response.

Samus' pressed against Zelda's neck and the princess leaned her head back, allowing her beloved more access to her. She gripped the hunter's hair at the back of her head, keeping her close as she savored the feeling of those warm lips on her skin.

Once again everything around them faded, but this time they remained solely focused on each other.

Samus carefully pulled the princess's nightgown off her body and pulled her close once the Hylian beauty was laid bare for her to gaze upon. Zelda relished the warmth she felt in Samus' arms as she ran her hands up and down her lover's chest, abdomen, and arms, while still making sure not to touch the bandages. However, the more they allowed themselves to give in to the passion, the princess felt herself give in and just allow her desire for Samus to lead her.

Their bodies pressed together and sweat began to form, sliding down their skin. The covers were pushed aside in the midst of their passionate exchange but neither women paid it much mind.

Samus watched as her lover writhed beneath her, the hunter still felt amazed that she could make Zelda feel the way she was feeling. The princess, in return, knew how to draw out the most wonderful and indescribable feelings from within the solitary bounty hunter.

Taking her lover's hand in hers, Samus pressed a kiss to Zelda's wrist and brought the delicate hand to her cheek, nuzzling into the princess's palm.

Zelda leaned up to kiss her beloved again, encouraging the hunter to unleash whatever she was holding inside.

The space warrior was usually tense or anxious when it came to expressing feelings, but with Zelda, it felt so easy and the emotions just flowed through her like a river. But part of it was because she knew she could fully trust Zelda; the princess never judged her or gazed upon her with pity or fear. And because of this, Samus never had to worry about expressing herself to her beloved princess.

"Samus?" Zelda ran a hand down her lover's chest.

With a smile, the space warrior slid her hand lower until she had her lover gasping and moaning her name. Samus pulled Zelda in closer with a free arm and felt her lover's lips and teeth at her neck and shoulder, and the spot in-between. The princess's fingers dug into her hunter's shoulders, earning her a pleased hiss from Samus.

Zelda cried out the hunter's name when the heat and pleasure finally overwhelmed her and she collapsed back onto the pillows. She kept Samus close, holding her tightly. The hunter happily laid her head on Zelda's chest, content to listen to her maiden's heartbeat, until she felt one of Zelda's hands slide down to her thigh.

She lifted her head to look at her lover, giving her a reassuring look, letting her know that she did not need Zelda to return any sort of favor. The princess merely shook her head in response before catching Samus off guard by turning them over until she was on top of the bounty hunter.

"Please…" Zelda whispered, her lips brushing up against the hunter's.

Samus lifted a hand to caress the princess's cheek lovingly and pressed a kiss to her forehead before laying back on the pillows while Zelda leaned in to kiss the Samus' neck. She slid a hand down her beloved's muscular abdomen, tracing and caressing the muscles there before moving her hand lower until she was stroking Samus' thigh.

The bounty hunter watched as the princess began to kiss along the trail her fingers left. The sensations made Samus gasp and arch as her lover continued her ministrations. Zelda moved her lips away from the muscular thighs and kissed the hunter's lips again.

Soon Zelda had her lover writhing and moaning under her hand as she pleasured the bounty hunter. She felt Samus grip the back of her head and tug at her hair, which served to encourage the princess's actions.

Samus' breath touched the Hylian maiden's sensitive ear and she smirked when she felt Zelda shiver in delight at that. Leaning in closer, she nibbled the tip of the pointed ear and Zelda moaned. A smirk made its way to the hunter's lips before she felt the effects of her reward between her legs as Zelda quickened her pace.

Unable to let herself be the only one enjoying these indescribable sensations, the hunter slid a hand down between the princess's thighs once more. The fair Hylian tensed before pressing her forehead against Samus' shoulder, but did not stop pleasuring her beloved.

They both cried out in pleasure as the heat once again overwhelmed them both and they fell back on the bed, fully sated.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Samus." Zelda apologized as she wrapped Samus' wounds with fresh bandages. She was knelt behind the hunter on the bed while Samus sat at the edge.

The bounty hunter chuckled and looked over her shoulder at the princess. "Don't worry about it, I'm alright. It…actually felt real good."

Zelda blushed as she inspected Samus' body before gently stroking her back apologetically. "Still…I should have controlled myself better, especially with your wounds."

After settling down from their passionate activities, Zelda had noticed blood staining Samus' wrappings and immediately went to inspect it. Samus' wounds had apparently reopened slightly during their intimacy; likely due to Zelda digging her nails into Samus' back and shoulders, but the hunter seemed oddly pleased at this despite the stinging from her wounds as Zelda redressed them again.

"I'm fine, Zelda. It doesn't really hurt _that_ much, and the wound didn't tear up badly." Samus turned her body slightly in order to reach out and touched the princess's cheek.

"I still apologize for that. I healed your most grievous wounds but the less fatal ones can heal naturally, but I may have caused a delay in that… You may end up with new scars again," Zelda sighed to herself, gently and lovingly tracing her fingers along the bandages and then to the old scars Samus had on her body.

Samus smirked and pressed her forehead to her lover's. "Then I would actually consider those my proudest scars. Since you were the one to cause it."

"Samus!" Zelda gaped at her in disbelief.

"What? Even if it really was your fault that I end up another scar, then I would proudly keep those, because you're the one who left those on me." Samus said with a shrug.

The Hylian princess shook her head. "Why…why would you say something like that? What makes you feel that way?"

Samus slid closer and kissed her lover's forehead. "Because it means you were the one who marked me, and the scars are my trophies; proof that I managed to make you feel _that_ good," The hunter said, seriously.

Zelda stared at the bounty hunter, taking in what she had said. Perhaps to anybody else, that may have sounded odd, but she knew Samus well and she understood the way Samus dealt with situations and how she expressed herself, in whatever way she could. A blush tinted the princess's cheeks and she brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

The smirk returned to Samus' lips. "Besides, that makes us even."

Samus tapped a finger against Zelda's collarbone. Raising an eyebrow, Zelda glanced down at herself then slid off the bed to look into her mirror.

Her eyes widened when she found her skin blemished with bites and red markings; no doubt all were the handiwork of Samus Aran herself. The Hylian princess traced them before glancing at her lover who merely shrugged and gave her a coy look.

Zelda sighed and returned to the bed and sat beside the hunter.

"I suppose that does make us quite even. Perhaps." She said, laying her head on Samus' chest.

The bounty hunter looked at the princess, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "…You don't really agree with that, do you?"

"No. Not entirely." The princess admitted.

Zelda smiled then leaned up to kiss Samus' neck, and the hunter leaned her head back slightly, enjoying the fair Hylian's attention. Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed back onto the mattress and Samus' eyes widened in surprise as Zelda hovered over her with a mischievous smile and a similar glint in her eyes. The Hylian princess then lowered herself onto the hunter's muscular body, her lips going back to Samus' neck.

The hunter moaned as she felt her lover kiss and bite down on her skin. It only served to make her hot under the collar once again, making her feel that familiar desire for partner.

Once the princess was satisfied, she backed off a bit to allow the hunter to sit up. " _Now_ it is even," Zelda smirked.

Samus raised an eyebrow and touched her neck. She glanced over at Zelda's mirror and saw that she too now had various love bites on her skin; from her neck to her collarbone.

"I might have to get back at you for that…" Samus said with a small smile, pulling her lover to her chest.

"I look forward to it…" Zelda nestled closer to her beloved and began purring when those talented fingers began running through her hair.

Samus kissed the top of her head before reaching over to grab the discarded covers, and threw it over them both. Zelda smiled sweetly at the gesture and rested a hand over the hunter's heart.

"I wish to stay this with for the entire day. However, I do still have duties…" Zelda said with a somewhat sad smile.

Samus nuzzled the princess's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine on my own."

Zelda shook her head. "Even if you're not well enough to return to your bounty hunting, I know you're bound to feel restless if you're cooped up for an entire day."

"… Yes." Samus sighed. Zelda knew her all too well, so there was no point in denying it.

"You're welcome to accompany me, if you wish. And somebody has to make sure you don't attempt to overexert yourself with those injuries." Zelda said.

Samus scoffed. "Accompany you during those council meetings?"

Zelda chuckled "I understand you do not care for the members of the court, but they do have Hyrule's best interests in mind. And at least I can be able to keep an eye on you then."

"In case I might decide to go rogue and shoot down half of your council members?" Samus joked with a smirk.

"On the contrary; it is so you do not wander off and exert yourself to keep yourself entertained, only to reopen your wounds in the process." Zelda said, doing her best to seem stern, but being unable to stop herself from smiling.

Samus raised an eyebrow and ran a hand along her bandaged torso. "Too late."

Zelda's face burned bright red, and she did her best to glare at the hunter. "Samus!"

The bounty hunter chuckled but paused when the princess suddenly held her by the shoulders and gently pushed her back down onto the bed. Their eyes gazed upon each other before their lips reunited and the two lovers soon forgot what it was they were discussing a moment ago.

* * *

 **And with that, I shall leave our leading ladies to their fun! Enjoy the chapter and thanks for taking the time to read these drabbles!**

 **Until then…**


	10. Chapter X: Family Entertainment

**Chapter X: Family Entertainment**

 **Subjects: (Hyrule Warriors) Impa, (Twilight Princess Zelda), Samus Aran**

The sun had barely risen, but there was already some life awakening to the dawn.

Hyrule Castletown was still mostly asleep, but those who needed to rise with the sun had already begun their day, preparing for hustle and bustle when everybody else finally awaken. The animals that slept through the night began to wander about while the nocturnal creatures took their turn to finally get some sleep.

The Hyrulean guards remained on duty throughout all hours of the night, unable to help but yawn once in a while until other soldiers came to relieve them. The case was the same with the guards of Hyrule Castle, who remained as vigilant as possible all night, awaiting for another to take their place so that they may rest in return.

Up in one of the castle's many rooms, a figure appeared at one of the windows, staring out at the slowly awakening world.

A young girl with brownish-blonde hair that went down the back of her shoulder, smiled widely as she stared out the window. She was feeling giddy with excitement and turned away from the window to quickly get dressed out of her sleeping garments and into something for running around all day. She then rushed out of her bedroom door, dashing down the hallways and nearly slipping in her haste.

She quickly approached a door and reached up to grab the doorknob, slipping into the room and the shutting the door behind her.

"Papa! Mama!" She called out in a teasing tone, running over to the bed, and pouted in disappointed when the two figures lying there did not respond. She moved to the other side of the bed, then circled back to the previous side she had been at. She called them again. No response, again. Deciding to change her tactics a bit, she pressed down on the mattress.

"Papa! Mama! … Ma! Mama!" She called.

Queen Zelda of Hyrule hummed in her sleep as she nestled into her beloved's chest, a tired smile creeping onto her lips. "Your daughter's awake…"

"Before sunrise, she's your daughter…" was the response she received from the woman beside her.

Unable to wait any longer, the child moved back towards the door before rushing towards the bed at full speed and leaping onto it, landing on top of her parents. "You said we could go first thing in the morning! It's morning now!" The child exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement.

The two occupants of the large bed grunted loudly, and the tall, muscular woman sat up and gave her daughter a look. "Fine…! I'm up, I'm up."

With a wide grin, the young girl, hopped off the bed and her parents, and rushed to wait by the door.

Samus Aran yawned and ran a hand through her long, blonde hair, and shook her head. Beside the warrior woman, Queen Zelda of Hyrule opened her eyes and watched her wife as she got the sleep out of her system. Eventually, the queen sat up as well and turned her gaze to the child.

"Astrid… You're going to have to let your…'father' wake up fully," Zelda said with a chuckle.

Samus rubbed the back of her neck and rolled her shoulders, hearing a few pops and cracks as she stretched.

Astrid was bouncing on her toes, waiting for her mothers to finally get out of bed. She wanted to head out on their promised excursion now, but she knew she had to be more patient.

Zelda slid out of bed and wrapped her arms around her wife's waist from behind. "Good morning, Samus."

"Morning…" The taller woman placed her hand over her beloved's and smiled slightly. She turned in the queen's arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Better get ready before our little princess grows even more impatient," Zelda teased and leaned up to kiss her wife's cheek before stepping back and moving over to her vanity to brush her long, flowing brown hair.

Samus smiled, an amorous expression on her face as she watched her wife brushing her hair back to its usual perfect state. A tug on her hand then brought the warrior woman back down to reality. She looked down to her side to see Astrid tugging on her hand and pouting.

With a sigh, Samus knelt down and ruffled her daughter's head. "Go on ahead and wait for me. I'll catch up."

Astrid nodded took off once again.

Zelda chuckled as she watched the exchange through her mirror. Her eyes then followed her wife as Samus went to grab some clothes for the day; she still kept and used her own strange clothing, but also had some garbs that helped her blend in with the local life on Hyrule.

Once she was fully dressed in a white shirt and breeches and boots, with a cloak to go over her body, and had tied her hair back up into its usual high ponytail, Samus felt that she was being watched and turned to look at the queen. Zelda smirked and turned around, reaching her hand out to her beloved, who did not hesitate to move towards her and take a hold of her hand. The hunter pressed a kiss to the Hylian monarch's knuckles.

No words were exchanged, and they did not need to. Their eyes spoke for them and they both understood each other, as they always had since the beginning.

Finally, Samus and Zelda made their way to the front entrance of the castle, easily spotting Impa kneeling before the little princess. No doubt reminding her to be careful of her surroundings, and to not dash down the halls, especially when Impa herself was not there to watch her.

The Sheikah warrior noticed the pair then stood up. She bowed in greeting and let the princess run to her two mothers.

"Can we go yet?" Astrid asked, looking up at Samus.

Samus chuckled, easily lifted the princess up with an arm and nodded. She turned to Zelda and leaned down to press their foreheads together.

"I would love to, but I have duties to attend to," Zelda said with a small, somewhat rueful smile, knowing that Samus was asking if she truly could not join them on their little early morning adventures.

Astrid looked at her Hylian mother with a bit of disappointment, but she understood that being queen meant that Zelda would not always be able to join them for any sort of fun activities. But when she did, it always made the princess feel happy that both her parents were there, together. And the fun increased tenfold.

Impa pat the princess's head and smiled reassuringly. "Not to worry, Princess Astrid. Your mother is in good hands." She then looked to Samus, "Are you certain you do not need me to accompany you both?"

"We'll manage, don't worry. Nothing dangerous for today," Samus said casually.

Impa rolled her eyes but could not stop from herself chuckling as she shook her head. "As you say. I will watch over the castle and the queen."

Zelda reached over to touch her daughter's cheek. "Do not worry. When you return, I promise to find some time away from my duties. We can continue your harp lessons as well."

Astrid nodded. "Okay."

Samus adjusted her daughter in her arm until Astrid was practically sitting on her shoulder. She leaned down to kiss his wife's forehead before heading out of the castle for a long day of exploring the lands beyond Castletown with the little princess on her shoulder.

Once they were out of sight, Impa glanced at the queen and Zelda nodded at her before heading back to her study. Even after all this time, Impa was still amazed with how life turned out.

Samus Aran had been a complete enigma when she first arrived at Hyrule, and Zelda had come to get along with the bounty hunter who apparently came down from the stars. Samus was a woman of few words, maybe even more so than Link at times. But the princess seemed to understand the silent hunter, and had no sense of fear or tension around her. In fact, Zelda seemed to be calmer and relaxed around the strange bounty hunter. The two of them made quite a pair. Once they learned to work together effectively, it was clear they were nearly unstoppable.

But as time went on, Impa could see that there was clearly something growing between them. As their quest those years ago—one that brought Samus to Hyrule in the first place—went on, they had to continue working together and a bond was forming. A bond that only grew stronger as time went on.

It soon became clear to Impa and even Link, that Samus was growing rather fond of Zelda, and in return, the princess was growing some affection for the hunter as well. In the end, both bounty hunter and princess professed their love to each other at some point.

And now, years later, Princess Zelda was now Queen Zelda, with Samus Aran as her wife, though the warrior woman remained as a bounty hunter who would travel the stars if her services were needed.

In addition to settling together, they had the new princess of Hyrule; Princess Astrid. Already she seemed to be showing a bit of both her mothers in her. Sometimes she acted like a mix of both Zelda and Samus, but had her own level mischievousness to add to it all.

Impa patrolled down the halls of the castle before stopping before the door to Queen Zelda's study. She lifted her hand to knock on the door, but paused. A smile formed on the Sheikah woman's lips and she chuckled, shaking her head before she turned away and continued down the hall.

* * *

Astrid was proving to be quite the explorer with how interested she was in the world around her. She was like her mother, Zelda, in that way. But being bold and brave enough to traverse a new place was definitely something she may have gotten from Samus or perhaps a combination of both the queen and the bounty hunter.

Samus kept an eye on her daughter as she wandered around at a fair, but safe, distance.

The bounty hunter had long accepted that she would be destined to fight for the rest of her life; living in isolation as it was the safest bet for both herself, and for the people around her. She had many enemies, being the legendary hunter who had destroyed entire planets and an entire species. Her life was too dangerous, too chaotic for any sort of enjoyment. Whatever break she had, she could barely even relax. The best she could do was have a drink at a spaceport bar on occasion, or simply spend her time alone in her ship, wandering the depths of space.

Never did she think she would end up where she was today. Of all places, she never imagined she would end up in a more medieval setting, meeting and bonding with the kingdom's monarch, and having a little spawn of her own with said monarch. A chuckle escaped the bounty hunter as she thought of all the events that led up to her current life.

"Fancy meeting you here on a day like this, Samus Aran," A familiar voice said and Samus whirled around but saw nobody. Tensing, she took a quick look of her surroundings before noticing something in her peripheral vision.

The bounty hunter looked up at one of the branches of a nearby tree and saw a lean, blonde-haired woman with red eyes watching her.

A white face covering kept most of her facial features a mystery and her bangs covered her left eye and around her neck was a white scarf that flowed down her back, along with her long blonde hair tied into a braid. She wore a body suit with a very light gray torso, a red eye symbol, the insignia of the Sheikah, was printed there. The legs and arms of her suit was blue with darker blue lines. Her shins, back of her hands, ribs, and shoulders were protected by a bronze-and-gold plates of armor, and each of them had the same Sheikah insignia embossed on them. Finally, her forearms were covered in white wrappings.

The woman tilted her head slightly and easily jumped down from the tree branch, landing gracefully on her feet like a cat. She kept her eyes on Samus and approached but paused when a voice called out.

"Sheik!" Astrid came rushing towards the Sheikah warrior excitedly, a huge smile on her face.

Behind her face covering, Sheik smiled and bent down to allow the child jump into her arms before lifting her off the ground. "Hello, Princess. Off on another adventure I see." Sheik greeted.

"Didn't think you'd be joining us," Samus said, crossing her arms.

Sheik looked to the space warrior and Samus could tell there was a smirk behind that obstructing cloth. "My duties can wait for a little while. I merely wanted to see if the princess is doing well."

"As you can see, she's fine." Samus said with a shrug.

"I can see that," Sheik said as she allowed Astrid to climb up, and place both her legs over the Sheikah woman's shoulders.

Samus could not resist the smirk forming on her lips. "You do know I have someone waiting for us back at the castle, right?"

"Hm. The great hunter of the stars is fraternizing with another woman. Or perhaps it is a man she is seeing behind her wife's back." The Sheikah warrior teased.

"She's actually very much aware of it," Samus teased back, "I'm also sure she's seeing someone else behind my back in return…"

Astrid giggled from her seat atop Sheik's shoulders. It was rather entertaining watching the back and forth that went on between both warriors.

Sheik nodding knowingly. "Ah, so I've heard. The mysterious knight in unusual armor; the queen's lover."

The little princess tugged on the covering around Sheik's head slightly to get her attention. "Sheik, can we visit Lake Hylia today?"

The ninja-like woman chuckled. "Well, certainly. But only if your 'father' is all right with it."

Samus gave the Sheikah a mock glare as she picked her daughter off of the red-eyed woman's shoulders and perched Astrid on her own arm. "Since when did you have a say in my family affairs?"

"Since you decided to see me behind the queen's back, and allow Princess Astrid to interact with me." Sheik retorted.

Samus rolled her eyes. "We'll go visit Lake Hylia. But after that, we'll have to head back."

Astrid grinned happily and hopped off her mother's arms. She ran on ahead, looking behind her shoulder to make sure the two women were still following her.

* * *

At Lake Hylia, Astrid did not hesitate at taking a close look at the water. Samus stayed nearby to make sure she did not fall in or run into any sort of unsavory creature. Sheik also remained close, keeping a vigilant watch over the princess.

"Did Uncle Link really get to dive down in the lake?" Astrid asked, looking away from the water and back at Sheik.

"He did," The ninja woman nodded. "But to remain underwater indefinitely, he needed a Zora Tunic."

"He couldn't even properly stay under water unless he had those ridiculous metal boots." Samus commented from where she stood.

Sheik chuckled. "Not everybody has armor that can be used in practically any sort of environment like yours, Samus."

The princess peered into the lake again. "Can we dive in?"

"Not a chance." Samus said, quickly moving over to pick up her daughter in case she got any crazy ideas and decided to jump in without warning.

Astrid pouted. "Aww…!"

Sheik laughed. "I'm afraid I will have to agree with Samus this time, Princess. I am sure the queen would not be happy if you jumped into the lake and returned home entirely soaked."

"She wouldn't mind," The princess protested.

"She _would_ ," Sheik gave the child a stern look.

Astrid pouted in defeat. Maybe next time, she might get lucky, or perhaps she could ask her Uncle Link to take her diving in Lake Hylia when she saw him again.

The trip back to Hyrule Castletown was interesting to say the least. Astrid had gotten up to her own mischief, even with a bounty hunter and Sheikah warrior in her company.

She had somehow managed to slip away, much to the worry of both Samus and Sheik, only to be found followed by a flock of cuccos. She giggled as she walked backwards while the birds waddled after her.

Samus and Sheik tensed slightly, knowing the secret dark side of the seemingly docile farm birds.

Thankfully, the little princess managed to prevent any incidents involving cucco swarms, and once Astrid decided to urge the birds to return to their usual lives, the cuccos obliged and the flock ran back from whence they came.

"She has your way with animals," Sheik commented tenderly, watching the princess with such affection.

Samus glanced at the red-eyed woman then looked over as her young daughter ran back to their side. The bounty hunter bent down and allowed Astrid to leap into her arms. The little princess settled on top of her mother's right forearm.

* * *

Sheik parted ways with Samus and Astrid once they were at the entrance to Hyrule Castletown, disappearing in a puff of smoke, as per the usual exit of any Sheikah warrior. Once it was just the two of them left, Astid was quick to challenge her mother to a race back to the castle. Samus had simply shrugged and accepted the challenge.

Astrid did not hesitate and ran on ahead. Samus followed close behind. She trusted her daughter, while mischievous and familiar with plenty of routes and shortcuts through Castletown, knew the way back home without getting lost. And the princess knew better than to worry Zelda.

Finally they reached the front gates of the castle and Samus smirked as she finally allowed herself to speed up and touch the side of the entryway.

"I win again, Princess." She announced.

Astrid huffed. "I never seem to win at a race."

Samus got on one knee to look at her daughter in the eye. "But you're getting better. You've gotten faster since the last time we had a race. Keep working on it and you might just beat me next time."

The young princess just nodded, knowing that her bounty hunter mother was not one to sugarcoat things, and if your abilities were subpar, she would be honest about it. And so if Samus was complimenting her, Astrid knew it was the truth and not merely because she was her daughter. She may be still young but it was something Astrid greatly appreciated about both of her parents; their honesty and encouragement.

Impa was there to greet them both and Samus nodded in acknowledgement before heading off to see Zelda in her study while Astrid was guided off by one of the servants to have a bath, much to the princess's dismay.

* * *

The entire family was able to attend lunch later that day, with the queen sitting at the head of the table and Samus seated at her right side. Astrid sat on the left side, and was eager to share the day's adventure once her mother asked.

Zelda looked over at her slightly fidgety daughter. "How was your morning excursion, Astrid? Did anything interesting happen?"

The princess grinned. "We got to see more of Hyrule Fields today! And Sheik appeared as well!"

"Did she now…?" Zelda glanced over at Samus who merely shrugged.

Astrid nodded excitedly. "Yes. Sheik is amazing!"

"Hmm…" Zelda dabbed her lips with a napkin, hiding a smirk behind it.

Samus cleared her throat and had a bite of her food, while Impa raised an eyebrow at the family from where she stood, but she made no comment.

"And then we even visited Lake Hylia! But I didn't get to swim…" Astrid pouted but continued with her little story of the morning.

The bounty hunter rolled her eyes but she had a fond smile on her face. Astrid was quite a handful at times, but what kid wasn't? Still, she could feel a bit of herself and Zelda really shine through their daughter at times.

Being part-Hylian, Astrid had the usual pointed ears that the Hylians had, as well as being born with some innate magical ability, but she also had parts of her that were human with a bit of Chozo; as Samus Aran was her mother as well and had the DNA of the Chozo within her.

After their meal, Zelda had taken the princess with her to the garden to practice with the harp. Astrid had expressed interest in learning the lullaby that Zelda had always known since infancy, and now it seemed it would be passed down to her own daughter.

Samus remained close by, watching over her family with a small, content smile on her face as she listened to the soothing melody. She had always enjoyed hearing Zelda play; especially that lullaby. It somehow calmed her and she would think of it whenever she felt the anxiety enter her mind. Perhaps it was because it was Zelda playing it or perhaps the song had a mystical hold on people in general.

Astrid watched as her mother plucked at the strings before she was handed the instrument to give it a try herself. "I don't think I'll ever be able to play the harp as beautifully as you, Mama."

"Do not worry about making mistakes, dear one. Just keep practicing it and soon you will be able to play the song well," Zelda said, stroking her daughter's hair tenderly when she frowned at the mistakes she made.

"Was it difficult for you too?" Astrid asked.

Zelda smiled. "Of course. I always made mistakes when I was young, even now. There is no shame in not being able to achieve something perfectly within a day."

Astrid nodded in understanding and tried again. She plucked the strings, listening carefully and pausing when she reached a certain part of the lullaby. She stared at the strings, trying to recall which one played the right tune.

"Take your time. You do not need to be perfect." The queen encouraged. Astrid bit her lip and plucked another string. She looked at Zelda who nodded in approval.

Samus went over to sit beside her wife and Zelda did not hesitate to lean against her. The bounty hunter placed an arm around her shoulders in response. It always felt nice when they managed to find time together like this. Who knows when the next mission would come calling to Samus, and for Zelda, as queen she was busy most of the time.

Astrid smiled upon seeing how happy and calm her mothers were when they were together. She often wondered about their story, how they even met and came to be.

The princess had become aware and used to the fact that both Samus and Zelda were literally from different worlds, with Samus coming from outer space and traveled often, while Zelda had always been princess of Hyrule. They were clearly different from each other in more ways than one; Samus came from a place full of strange technology that was beyond the understanding of those who do not come from the same world. Hyrule was the opposite of all that, but there was mystique and magic.

The princess always wanted to ask how everything in their life led up to this moment, but was unsure how to approach the subject. As far as she knew; her mothers had been through much together and it formed a bond between them.

"Astrid?" She was snapped out of her thoughts and looked over to Samus and Zelda.

"Lost in thought?" Zelda asked with a small smile.

"Yes Mama…" The young princess nodded sheepishly.

Samus reached over and ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately before nodding over back to the entrance of the castle.

Astrid nodded in understanding. "Okay, Ma. Mama, can we practice some more tomorrow? Please?" She asked Zelda.

The queen nodded. "Of course. Perhaps we can also begin your archery training as well."

At the suggestion, Astrid's eyes lit up in excitement and she nodded eagerly. "Okay! We'll do it tomorrow!" Astrid jumped up and handed the harp back to the queen before sprinting back inside the castle.

"Energetic…" Samus mumbled.

Zelda let out a laugh and placed a gloved hand over her wife's. "True. I suppose it came from us both."

Samus smirked teasingly and raised an eyebrow at the queen, earning her a playful smack on the arm.

"You act as if I had not done as much as you have the last time we had an…exciting adventure." Zelda chuckled.

A warm smile made its way to the hunter's lips as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to her wife's lips. Zelda instantly relaxed and melted against her beloved.

* * *

"I am curious, Your Majesty…" Impa said.

"What is it?" The queen asked, looking up from her documents and at her longtime caretaker.

"Why do you continue with acting oblivious to… Well, it is not as if the princess is not aware…" Impa was unsure how to put her question into proper words.

Zelda chuckled. "I suppose it is strange. But it is rather entertaining, and Astrid does not seem to mind the playful charades and it keeps her entertained."

The Sheikah woman nodded. "And you and Samus plan on continuing this game of sorts? I do admit it is rather amusing to see the reaction of those who are ignorant, however I was merely wondering; why continue it?"

"I suppose it has become a sort of…family entertainment," The queen smiled.

Impa shook her head but she was smiling. It was odd for Zelda and Samus to act as if there were four different people when it was just the two of them, and the princess referring to Samus as a 'father' just to see the look of shock on people's faces when they discover the true gender of Samus Aran. And being an admirer of Shiek, and the 'mysterious knight' when she knew exactly who they were…

Who would have thought that the royal family of Hyrule would be, perhaps, the greatest pranksters in history?

* * *

 **Because I sometimes like to believe that Samus and Zelda enjoy casually trolling the world** **by taking the whole "secret identity" thing to a whole new level, without the intention of pranking people, and that their little magic-science spawn is a little troll who loves to give people heart attacks by calling Samus her papa and acting like Sheik is someone else, when they who were unaware learn: "Samus is a girl?!" and "Sheik is Zelda?!"**

 **And last time, I said that Hyrule Warriors' design of Sheik was my favorite and I just fell in love with it. Well now that we saw the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate design of Sheik, I may want to rethink that statement... So yes, Smash Bros. Ultimate's Sheik design is what Sheik looks like here.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter. This is a little longer than usual but it was fun to write!**

 **Until then...**


	11. Chapter XI: Surprising Encounter

**Chapter XI: Surprising Encounters**

 **Subjects: (Teenager) Samus Aran, (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate/Teenager) Zelda, Pikachu, Pichu**

Zelda smiled as Pichu ran about the park excitedly. The little mouse-like creature was certainly full of energy on this day. In a way, Zelda was thankful for it; she needed some fresh air and perhaps being able to wander the city a bit would do her some good.

Pichu squeaked happily as her ran on all fours, exploring every bit that he could, all within Zelda's sight. The little Pokemon glanced over his shoulder and called out to his companion.

Giggling at the mouse creature's hyperactivity, Zelda just shook her head and continued to watch over him from the bench she say on.

The day was rather lovely day so it would be waste not to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Pichu was good company, but mostly when he was behaving himself. At times, the little mouse Pokemon would wander off and Zelda would have to chase after and find him before he got himself lost indefinitely.

As soon as she had those thoughts, Pichu jumped up, as if something had caught his attention, and sprinted off.

Zelda gasped, immediately jumping up to run after the wayward mouse-creature. She mentally berated herself for letting her mind wander, and perhaps jinxing herself by thinking about Pichu running off.

"Pichu! Pichu come back!" She called out in vain.

The little Pokemon seemed rather focused on running to his destination, whatever it may be, despite the calls of his human companion and her trying to keep up.

Zelda groaned, feeling like she might have to just start carrying Pichu everywhere if the mouse creature was going to continue his habit of suddenly wandering off on an adventure and getting lost in the process.

* * *

"Slow down, will you?"

Pikachu stopped and looked over his shoulder at Samus. His ear twitched and he waved his arm in a way for him to tell her he wished she would walk a bit faster.

The blonde chuckled in amusement. "Maybe it was a bad idea to let you have that donut for breakfast. You're moving around like a crazy rodent."

"Pika!" Pikachu protested and ran back to his human companion's side, leaping up onto her shoulder.

Samus rolled her eyes. "Fine. I guess I'll carry you then. But don't shock me!" She warned.

Pikachu just smiled widely at her and nuzzled against her cheek. Samus sighed in defeat and stroked the back of the mouse Pokemon's ears.

It was not often that Samus got the chance to relax like this; despite the fact that she was a teenager, she was still quite young and had much training ahead of her, especially since she had signed up as part of the Galactic Federation Police. Pikachu was probably the only one who enjoyed being near her on a daily basis.

While there was no shortage of people who found themselves intrigued by the young warrior, she preferred to keep a distance, even from those who seemed to swoon over her. Though it was clear to Pikachu that Samus was more than a little oblivious to the admirers she actually had, and more than a little awkward if one of them plucked up the courage to approach her and confess their affection. It was to be expected when someone like Samus made sure to come to the aid of innocents while on and even off duty.

It clearly made Samus a bit uncomfortable, and so Pikachu had brought it upon himself to make sure his companion was never bothered by unwanted attention.

As the two continued their walk, Pikachu's ears picked up the sound of rustling somewhere in the bushes. While the park was usually safe from any unsavory activity, it did not hurt to keep one's senses on alert. And if Samus was about, then it would be easy for her to simply confront and take in the criminal.

A sudden blur leapt out from the brush, and before either Samus or Pikachu could react, the blur rammed right into the blonde's leg. A little yelp was heard and Samus stepped back to see what had run into her.

To her surprise, it was a creature similar to Pikachu, although it was smaller and had a different appearance, such as the shape of its ears, body, and even its size.

Pichu's eyes widened as he stared up at the stranger. The little Pokemon shrunk back in fright at the sight of the tall and intimidating human.

Pikachu jumped down from Samus' shoulder and approached the little Pokemon, waving and smiling politely in greeting. It was clear that the Pichu was nervous but Pikachu's friendly demeanor was beginning to calm the little mouse creature down.

Getting down on one knee, as to not spook the Pokemon, Samus offered her hand as a sign that she was no threat. Pichu stared at her cautiously, then looked at Pikachu. The bigger mouse just grinned and ran up Samus' shoulder again.

Feeling a little braver now, Pichu moved a little closer and sniffed the blonde's hand before letting out a squeak of content as Samus pat its head gently.

The blonde looked around, wondering where the little creature even came from. There did not seem to be anyone else around but her. She pat her pockets then shook her head; they were empty. She was sure the Pichu would feel more relaxed if she offered a treat, but it seems she had none on her.

She got up to her feet only to feel something ram into her again, this time barreling right into her torso. Samus grunted and instinctively grabbed the newcomer before they fell over.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." Zelda apologized when she realized she had practically crashed into someone in her haste to locate her Pokemon companion.

Samus stared at the girl who had run into her; she had blue eyes and blonde hair like her, but the girl's hair was long and flowing, and she had pointed ears. Samus blinked and shook her head before she let go of the girl and stepped back once she was sure she was not going to fall over.

"Apologies. I did not mean to bump into you like that. I hope I did not hurt you." She said, blushing in embarrassment.

Samus merely shook her head in response, letting her know she did not mind and that there was no harm done. To her surprise, the girl seemed quite relieved.

"Well, I do not wish to bother you, I was just looking for…" She glanced down and noticed Pichu who was staring up at her happily. The little mouse creature squealed happily and jumped into Zelda's arms. She caught him and held him to her chest.

Samus tilted her head at the two slightly.

"Pichu! There you are! You scared me half to death, running off like that! What were you thinking?" She scolded gently, stroking the little mouse creature's head.

Pichu looked quite sheepish and nuzzled against Zelda's chest.

"This one's yours?" Samus asked.

Zelda looked at the girl in front of her. "Oh. You're the one who found him? Thank you. Yes, Pichu has the tendency to run off sometimes. I'm sorry if he caused you any trouble."

"No, no trouble." Samus said with a shrug and Pikachu piped up in agreement.

Zelda's eyes lit up. "Oh. You're friends with a Pikachu?"

Samus glanced at the mouse creature on her shoulder then nodded at the girl with the Pichu. Pikachu waved at the girl.

With a smile, Zelda carefully approached and reached over to stroke Pikachu under the chin, earning a happy squeak from the mouse Pokemon. She then dug into a satchel she carried at her side and took out some treats. She handed some to Pichu, and fed the rest to Pikachu who seemed more than happy to accept the offering.

"Pika! Pika pika!" Pikachu exclaimed happily and began nibbling on the treat.

"You're welcome." Zelda smiled and pat his head.

Samus raised an eyebrow, quite surprised and impressed. Pikachu was friendly but usually wary of strangers coming anywhere near them. But this girl easily got past his barrier within just a few minutes, and that was quite rare.

"I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I am Zelda, and this little one is Pichu." The girl said.

For a moment, Samus was a little unsure of the situation. However, she felt it was best to just introduce herself as well. "Samus Aran."

"Nice to meet you," Zelda said with a polite smile.

For a moment, Samus wondered if Pikachu was going to revert back to his protective behavior after he finished his treat. But instead, the bigger mouse Pokemon climbed onto Zelda's shoulder and nuzzled her cheek with the top of his head.

Zelda giggled and stroked Pikachu's head. "He's rather sweet. I again apologize if Pichu has caused any trouble."

Samus shook her head and gave her a reassuring look. "… He's never done that before." She said before she could stop herself.

"Pardon?" Zelda looked at her, still having a small smile on her lips.

"… Take to people this quickly. He usually keeps strangers away…"

The younger girl nodded in understanding. "I see. So you are protective of your friend here?" She stroked Pikachu's chin.

"Pika!" The larger mouse responded with a nod.

It was rather surprising to her that someone else was as understanding of these odd creatures. Samus was used to being in the company of non-humans such as sentient creatures to regular animals. She hardly enjoyed being around too many people, especially those who hounded her for some reason or another.

Samus rubbed the back of her neck, unsure what to do now. She had returned a little Pichu to his companion but she felt that it might be rude to just walk away, especially from such a seemingly nice and polite girl.

"Uh… Sorry. I mean…sorry that Pichu ran off for…some reason…?" She mentally winced. What was she apologizing for?

Zelda giggled. "Don't worry; he does this at times. Perhaps I should get out of your way; I don't wish to intrude…"

Samus shrugged. "It's fine. It's a park after all; it's public, so it's not really intruding."

Pikachu stared at her in disbelief then shook his head. As skilled as Samus was in combat and being a fast-learner and proficient in solving the strangest sort of puzzles, she was not as proficient when it came to socializing.

However, Zelda did not seem put off by this. She merely giggled and smiled. "You're right, I suppose. Still, I am sure you and Pikachu were spending time together, so…"

"You're not intruding!" Samus said but caught herself a bit. "I mean… That entrance was unexpected but…"

Pikachu shook his head in exasperation. "Pika!"

Samus paused and looked at him. The mouse Pokemon seemed a little bit annoyed and was glaring at her as if he had been expecting more from her. Samus raised an eyebrow at him. What was he going on about?

Pikachu huffed and hopped off of Zelda's shoulder before pulling at her skirt. She looked down at Pikachu and he gave her a rather endearing look and pulled at her skirt again while hopping up and down as if inviting her somewhere.

Samus' eyes widened. What was that crazy mouse doing?

"He seems to be requesting something of you. Though I am not sure how I can be of any help with that." Zelda said, tilting her head slightly.

Samus cleared her throat awkwardly. "He uh… He wants you—and Pichu!—to join us on our walk…"

Zelda looked at Samus in surprise, then back at Pikachu. "I… Well, I do not want to impose in any way."

Pikachu jumped up in protest and tugged Zelda's skirt again. This time he seemed to be more insistent, pointing at Samus as well.

Samus shook her head. "Sorry about that. You don't have to listen to him, I can just…"

"It's alright. I am not bothered. I mean…if you truly don't mind my being here, I would not mind taking a stroll…" Zelda said with a polite smile.

"You wouldn't?" Samus looked at her with surprise. "Uh…well, I guess you can come along. If Pikachu is really that insistent on it. For some reason."

The two of them began walking on and Zelda shook her head. "I have no previous engagements, so it's not a problem. I have to say though, this is probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me so far."

"You make it sound like your life's rather boring," Samus commented.

Zelda lifted Pichu onto her shoulder. "Don't misunderstand; I do enjoy the peace and quiet. Though, I suppose things can be a bit dull at times."

"Hmm…" Samus nodded, earning a look from Pikachu again.

They continued walking in silence, but it was rather comfortable than tense. Though Samus was feeling rather anxious as she was unsure if she should do or say anything.

"I don't mean to be rude but…you're not use to socializing, are you?" Zelda asked, looking at her the girl beside her.

Samus tensed then sighed. "No, not really."

"There's nothing to be ashamed about. After all, here we are, socializing." Zelda reassured.

"We're not really having a conversation. Just walking and…sounding like we don't know what a conversation is." Samus dug her hands into her pockets. A laugh escaped Zelda after she said that. It was a rather pleasant sound to Samus.

"While that may be true, sometimes you don't really need to exchange words in order to enjoy company of others. You can merely sit quietly and feel comforted by the silence, or perhaps have a cup of tea with someone you like being around with."

A tint of pink coated Samus' cheeks. "You…enjoy my company?"

"Is that…odd?" Zelda asked, suddenly feeling bashful. "I mean…I know we have only known each other for a few minutes, and it was all because Pichu ran off. But…so far, I find your company to be rather comforting."

Samus chuckled nervously. "Well that's actually kinda new to me."

"Truly? I am sure Pikachu feels that way as I do…"

"Pikachu's an exception," Samus said just as Pikachu hopped onto her shoulder as if to make a point.

"Then, if it would be alright with you, perhaps you can accept two more exceptions?" Zelda asked with a small smile and Pichu squeaked in agreement.

Samus thought for a moment before she nodded. "I think I can do that."

* * *

Eventually their little stroll went beyond the park and they found themselves just wandering the city together with their two mouse-like companions.

Zelda had stopped for a moment to treat Samus and Pikachu to some ice cream, which caught the taller girl off guard. Especially since everything Zelda had done and said so far were entirely sincere and not just so she could get uncomfortably close to Samus. The ice cream was rather enjoyable as well, Samus had to admit.

Inevitably, some eyes did fall on Samus as they walked past. Some were from boys who could not help but drool while others were from young women who could not help but swoon.

"I see you're quite the popular one." Zelda said good-naturedly as they moved past awed and enamored gazes.

Unsure how to comment on it, Samus just looked away. Pikachu nuzzled the side of her neck and cheek before looking back at the other humans who cannot seem to stop swooning.

Zelda touched Samus' arm. "Their gazes unsettle you."

"… Kinda." The taller teen admitted with a sigh.

"Hm. I now understand why Pikachu feels quite protective of you. Has any of your admirers approached you?" Zelda asked as she took a dainty bite out of her ice cream.

Samus rubbed the back of her neck. "I did get an envelope shoved into my face by this girl one time…"

Zelda chuckled. "Oh! A love letter, how sweet. Did you read it?"

"Well…a bit. I had no idea what to do with it so…I might have tossed it somewhere." Samus admitted and Pikachu nodded. "That wasn't a nice thing to do, was it?"

"Maybe. But as you said; you had no idea what to do with it. I am sure being courted is not something you are used to." Zelda said in an understanding tone.

Samus blinked and her cheeks began to turn red and her eyes widened at the other girl's words. "Courted? Ah, I don't…"

Zelda had a teasing grin on her lips. "Perhaps that was a little too much for you?"

The young warrior gave Zelda a mock glare and leaned over to bite her ice cream in retaliation, making the Hylian girl gasp.

"Now we're even." Samus smirked triumphantly.

Zelda frowned, but was unable to keep a smile from forming in its place. "You didn't…!"

The two then broke into light laughter while Pikachu and Pichu looked at each other with wide, pleasantly surprised smiles. It seems their companions were getting along swimmingly and that was a good sign, especially for Samus.

"I truly am enjoying your company Samus. Maybe…we should do this often?" Zelda suggested, a bright smile lit up her entire face and her eyes sparkled.

Samus looked down at her for a moment. The thought of getting to meet up with this Hylian girl again did not sound all too bad. She had not felt uneasy or uncomfortable around her, and Zelda seemed rather nice. Pikachu had taken an instant liking to her, and vice versa. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to hang out with Zelda again sometime.

"I guess we could do this again…if you give me your number."

* * *

 **So this one is kinda different, yet not. To clear up some confusion; this is a universe I will refer to as "Smash City", as stuff such as bounty hunters, Pokemon, elvish humanoids, magic, mutants, aliens, anthropomorphic talking animals and such are all a part of everyday life.**

 **So this time I decided to write something with teenage Samus, and also to celebrate her a bit, I decided to also have Smash Bros. Ultimate Zelda alongside her on this one. Though there is that fact that "A Link Between Worlds" Zelda seems to be of child age, and then I hear it was said that she is actually supposed to be "A Link to the Past" Zelda (or was it the other way around?) who seems much older than the latter, but then again perhaps it was a fusion of both put in SSBU since their designs are quite similar to each other. So I decided to just make it so she was closer in age to Samus at least.**

 **This seems like a weird concept especially with the way I wrote it, but I still wanted to give it a shot.**

 **Sorry that this chapter feels a bit clunky. Hopefully the next one will be a little better. Happy reading!**

 **Until then…**


	12. Chapter XII: Infatuation

**Chapter XII: Infatuation**

 **Subjects: (Hyrule Warriors) Zelda, Samus Aran, (Hyrule Warriors) Impa, (Mentioned; Hyrule Warriors) Link**

The royal council had called for her and so she would answer them. It was not the most exciting time but it was one of the most important.

Zelda was to be crowned queen the moment she reached the age of twenty-one, but that was two more years away. Showing the council and the people that she was capable as a princess would reassure them she knew how to act once she took the role of queen.

But even now, as she sat at the head, amongst her council members, she could not help but feel restless.

While the council meant well, there were times when she noticed they seemed to be disregarding the other races of Hyrule. To her, that would not stand; while one needed to look after their own, it still wasn't right for their allies. And tensions between Hylians and the Gerudos were as bad enough as it was.

Despite being waited on hand and foot, Princess Zelda of Hyrule preferred to stand on the frontlines with her comrades. Despite her role above the others, she felt that it was part of her duty to fight alongside her own soldiers and be the military commander they needed, alongside General Impa.

Once the meeting was over, Zelda headed out to walk along the battlements, observing as the soldiers trained below. She could see that many of the trainees were working hard to improve their skills, and the captains were making sure nobody slacked off. Impa followed behind the princess, also observing each of the soldiers and frowning in disapproval if one tried to escape training. Thankfully, the captain overseeing the training grounds put him in his place.

As they continued to observe the training regime, something caught Zelda's eyes. She then made her way over and leaned down slightly to get a better view.

Zelda watched as a female soldier with her blonde hair tied in a ponytail, sparred with a fellow soldier. She moved fast and easily dodged the attacks coming her way. The woman then leapt over her sparring partner, somersaulting over his head and turning to smack her wooden sword against his back, causing him to stumble forward and almost fall onto his face.

Suddenly, feeling that she was being watched, the woman looked up and her intense blue eyes connected with Zelda's much softer and brighter ones. Their gazes remained locked for a moment until the princess was called and she had to take her sight off the female soldier.

"Whoa, that was the princess!" A soldier said, finally noticing their audience.

The blonde woman looked over at them, and then back up to where the monarch was speaking with Impa before the general headed off. The princess then turned back to look at the female knight again one last time before she followed the Sheikah warrior.

Samus shook her head before heading off to spar with a practice dummy next. She was not sure what the princess wanted, but she was not going to spend the day thinking on it. Best keep her focus on her training instead of bumbling around like the others.

It had taken her a while to adjust to life in Hyrule Castletown, but she had taken to her training easily enough and it kept her busy, especially after she had been able to make in as one of Hyrule's soldiers. She felt that she was best suited for such a job, rather than being a mere merchant or some other.

Her abilities shone on the battlefield instead of the market or anything else not concerning combat. She had always lived a life full of chaos and battles; it was all she knew. Perhaps it was the reason why she had been appointed as the princess's bodyguard.

Samus sighed as she stepped away from the dummy and wandered off to the side of the training area, away from the others.

So far, her new duties to be the personal guard of the fair monarch was going well. The princess never did anything reckless, though she was quite the tomboy who ran about just to escape from the stuffy feeling of being in the castle.

The knight could not remember the number of times Zelda had slipped away from everyone else to have some time to herself, only for Samus to track her down. Though, rather than feeling upset that she had been discovered, Zelda had invited the female knight to join her in a peaceful moment of silence. It had surprised Samus and she did, on a number of occasions, join the fair monarch in her quiet moments. It had been relaxing, even if they exchanged not a word.

Once she was finished in the training yard, Samus returned to her duties, and sought out the princess.

She was to remain close by as often as possible, for the safety of the future queen. Naturally anyone would think it would be in the princess's best interest to be watched over, and despite Zelda not voicing any complaints, Samus had sensed that the decision had made her rather weary.

Still, Samus was pleasantly surprised when the princess had been easy to get along with and reasonable to deal with. Though the female knight could already see that playful side to the monarch as she seemed to enjoy causing a little bit of panic among her castle staff whenever she would vanish. And each time, she would have that mischievous smile on her face.

As the knight wandered the castle grounds in search of the princess, she stopped in her tracks when she heard the faint sound of music.

Recognizing the tune, she followed it to the garden where Zelda stood, playing on her harp. It was that song that she would often play and at times Samus wondered why it was so special that the princess was so fond of the song.

Sensing another's presence, Zelda stopped and looked over her shoulder. She smiled. "That was quick. It only took you five minutes to find me this time."

Samus approached her. "You weren't exactly hiding this time…"

"Maybe not. But nobody else has looked here yet; and they had not been busy with training." Zelda strummed the strings of her instrument idly.

The female knight could not help but allow her eyes to wander along the princess's slender physique. It was hard to believe that such a fair beauty could be so battle-hardened; maybe not as much as Samus was, but Zelda was a military commander for her army and stood at the frontlines rather than sit back on a throne while others fought for her.

It was something that made Samus respect the princess a bit more, and it was becoming quite difficult not to notice and observed the way Zelda moved on the battlefield. She was a skilled fencer and archer, and magic-user; all the while maintain the grace and regality one of her position is born with.

Of course in return, Zelda was rather fascinated with Samus. Her appointed knight was taller than most others, and her form could was lean yet muscular, like a chiseled creation come to life in the fantasies of men and women alike. But Samus Aran was very much real. She was fast, powerful and had combat skills that nobody else had ever seen before. She was a stranger, a loner who wandered the lands until she had decided to settle in Hyrule.

Whatever the reason that led to that decision, Zelda was thankful for it.

It was becoming quite frequent that Zelda would find herself stealing glances at the female knight, and she could not help but tease and playfully challenge Samus to find her whenever she found a chance to escape the castle for some time to herself without her staff or council members fussing over and badgering her. Samus would indeed manage to find the princess but she never alerted the entire land of her presence, and instead just remained close by.

This became a game of sorts between them, and both players would find themselves growing closer and more attached to one another as the days went on.

Of course, Samus had wondered why Link had not been the one appointed to Zelda instead. What with him being hailed as the hero of all Hyrule, a chosen one, someone the people of Hyrule looked up to besides their Princess Zelda.

When she did ask the question, Zelda had said it had been Impa's decision; Link had his duties and he could hardly be everywhere at the same time. He would be one of the first ones to defend Hyrule should anything or anyone come to attack, along with General Impa and the princess.

Samus had to admit that she did not mind being around the princess. She was not at all like most other nobles she had seen visit the castle. While Zelda acted very much the way any monarch would and should, she was always genuine, sincere and never attempted to gain any favors, unlike the other nobles who would attempt to butter her up.

Some of them were quite sickening to the knight; attempting to flirt with the princess despite whether or not Zelda was comfortable with it.

One made the mistake of going too far, being too forward to the point he was more than a little inappropriate. Zelda had handled the situation well enough, dodging and avoiding his advances, but Samus had been unable to merely stand by and let the lecherous touch the monarch in such a way. The day ended with the man sporting a black eye, broken hand, and a very much bruised ego.

Of course the princess had been the first one to thank the female knight, even offering to treat Samus to dinner once both of them had some free time to themselves.

That had been the true start of their odd friendship, and admiration of each other. Though Samus was beginning to feel a strange, warm sensation in her gut whenever she spent time with the princess, and Zelda seemed to be showing her playful side more openly to the knight.

"Samus? You seemed to have wandered far." Zelda said, noticing the taller woman's distant expression. Samus blinked and shook her head, giving the monarch an apologetic look.

"It's no trouble at all. In fact, I was wondering if you would like to join me in my chambers tonight. I have a mood to eat dinner in my room instead of the dining hall." Zelda said, smiling at Samus.

A blush made its way to the warrior woman's cheeks. Her and Zelda? In the princess's room at night? Alone, and having dinner? Surely, she meant nothing by it; they were friends after all. But Samus was beginning to feel like she might have some sort of attraction towards the princess. And why would the monarch of Hyrule even try to court a knight? It was a rather odd thought.

But the way Zelda was smiling at her, made Samus feel as if the princess might be…flirting. Just a bit. And whether she knew it or not, Zelda was slowly striding her way into Samus' heart.

The knight shrugged in response, but the princess just continued to smile at her, a rather cheeky glint in her eyes. Samus' cheeks turned redder and she looked away in a vain attempt to hide it from the Hylian monarch.

"I will see you tonight then, Sir Aran…" Zelda said teasingly, walking past the knight while running her hand along the taller woman's chest as she returned inside, making sure to look over her shoulder one last time to give her appointed knight a charming smile.

At that moment, Samus was sure her heart would jump right out of her chest.

* * *

 **I've been waiting for the chance to write with Hyrule Warriors Zelda. I haven't really given her the spotlight yet! And for some reason I imagine she would be a bit more playful than the other incarnations…**

 **This time Samus is not a space bounty hunter. No space stuff this time in this idea but hey it's nice to explore more possibilities, right? Also, this chapter is obviously shorter than some of the others. Still, I hope you enjoyed reading it.**

 **Until then...**


	13. Chapter XIII: Serenade

**Chapter XIII: Serenade**

 **Subjects: Sheik/Zelda, Samus Aran**

The sound of music flowed through the air, its source coming from a stringed instrument that was being expertly plucked at, creating such soothing sounds that seemed to have a rather mystical effect to those who heard it. It was haunting and beautiful, calm and soothing and enchanting.

The song that came from the rather small harp was one that not many have heard before. It was a mysterious piece, but not for the one who was playing the song.

Sheik's eyes were closed as she focused on the melody she was playing; it was a song that she knew by heart, just like she knew the harp and its strings so well. She did not need to look at the instrument, for she knew where each string was, and which ones created each tone.

Playing the harp always soothed the Sheikah warrior's soul, and it was the only time she felt no weight on her shoulders and she could breathe easily. Allowing the music to flow on the wind while she sat at a solitary spot was how she could ease her mind and regain focus on her surroundings.

However, it seemed that the warrior minstrel's lovely music had garnered some attention, whether she wanted it or not.

As Sheik continued to play, a small crowd had gathered at a distance. Close enough to hear the music and see a proper description of Sheik, yet far enough that they did not bother the mysterious warrior. The crowd consisted of both the youthful and the elderly, men and women alike. Some came out of curiosity when they heard of a mysterious who played like an angel, and yet was as silent as the shadows. It was an odd sort of description and combination, but when they finally caught a glimpse, and their ears heard the melodies, they could not help but come back for more.

Lovely maidens found themselves becoming fascinated, and even infatuated, with this shadowy figure.

A part of the mysterious minstrel's innate charm seemed to be the mystery surrounding her. The audience don't know Sheik at all, and so there were split opinions and ideas about the harp-playing warrior.

Some believed Sheik was a man, some instead say it was a woman. There was a divide between the audiences over the gender of the Sheikah, but they all could agree on one thing: Sheik was incredibly handsome. A fantasy come true to the maidens who often come to hear the stranger play; tall, dark and mysterious, with intense red eyes, and blonde hair covering her left eye most of the time. The lower half of Sheik's face remained covered at all times with a white cloth, and the top of her head was wrapped up as well.

There were moments when some of the maidens attempted to approach Sheik, hoping to get up close and even speak to her. Half of the hopeful young women thought Sheik to be a handsome young man with, perhaps, a cloudy past but with a shy side. The other half thought that the minstrel was actually a woman with an impressive, athletic form. In the end, they did not care if the minstrel was a man or a woman. Sheik was just so alluring by merely being herself.

The low chatter of the small crowd that had gathered, finally caught Sheik's attention, and the Sheikah warrior stopped playing.

Sheik opened her eyes and glanced over to the source of the noise, her intense red eyes finally acknowledging the unwanted audience. The expression on her face was unreadable, but it looked rather stern and serious as she looked at them in her peripheral vision.

The maidens present straightened up and felt their hearts pound in their chest upon seeing that the object of their affections was actually looking right at them, even at a glance. Their eyes were wide with wonder, as they always were whenever they gazed upon Sheik.

For a moment, the warrior stared—or was she glaring?—at the unwanted attention-givers, but then seemed to decide to ignore them, and returned to playing a tune on the harp.

The young women in the audience sighed, both in relief and disappointment.

"I would very much like to talk with him! Get to know him a bit more…"

"He's so handsome, and mysterious!"

"Do you think she'd let us come closer?"

"Would she let me…request a song?"

Sheik sighed internally; they were so noisy. And here she was, thinking she would be able to have time to herself, away from any hustle and bustle. Still, she opted to continue playing her harp and not bother with the noises in the background. Admirers were never something Sheik thought of, nor cared for.

As she played her favorite melody; a lullaby that she had known all her life, Sheik felt all her troubles melt away, and her body felt lighter. This certain song never failed to make her forget the woes and sorrows in the world.

When the Sheikah warrior glanced over to her unwanted audience, something suddenly caught her eye. A vision, the likes of something she had never seen before until that very moment.

A few meters off, behind the little crowd, a figure began to walk past. Clad in strange-looking armor from head to toe with a cannon for a right arm. The strange newcomer was trudging along, as if exhausted and just returning from somewhere far off. After a few steps, the stranger then reached up and pulled the red helmet off, revealing the face of a woman.

Blonde hair that was tied into a high ponytail flowed down once it had been released from the confines of the helmet. The woman's eyes seemed to be blue in color and she looked rather worn, tired, and solemn. It was quite difficult to tell at a distance, but her face seemed to be marred with some faint scars, and her stride was sure, and confident, but heavy at the same time, as if she were carrying a burden on her back. She kept her helmet under her left arm as she walked past.

For a brief second, her eyes glanced at the crowd that had gathered, but then turned away without a care of what the people were doing there, or what they were gathering for. They were of no concern to her, and she had merely looked over because she was observing her surroundings.

She had no idea why these people were fussing and it was nothing of importance to her. She also did not notice the object of the crowd's affections and intrigued as she glanced away and continued onward, moving to a more distant area.

Even from this distance, the woman had an aura of strength surrounding her. But there was also a sense of warmth; like a hidden gentle side.

Sheik was captivated.

The ninja-like warrior watched as the armored woman made her way to a far more secluded spot where she could set herself down and rest, far from any stifling crowds.

After observing the newcomer for a few moments, idly plucking the strings of her harp, until she finally got up from where she had perched herself. Her eyes remained on the direction in which the armored woman went.

The little audience turned giddy when they noticed Sheik was coming their way. The women gasped and murmured amongst each other as they straightened their skirts and gowns for the mysterious minstrel.

However, Sheik's eyes could see none of them, and she walked past. She had her sights sets elsewhere and she was determined to follow the trail.

The Sheikah warrior kept her harp secured under her arm as she tracked down her target. She moved with purpose until she found what she was looking for. The woman clad in armor had gone rather far off, but Sheik was familiar with many of the isolated spots in the area.

Sheik confidently, but carefully, moved towards the woman.

Samus Aran was used to a solitary life. It never bothered her to hardly be around people, or interact with them as much. The most she had to actually come into contact with others was when she had to gather information, or meet up with someone pertaining to her next bounty.

Even when she did find some time to herself, to take a break from all the chaos, danger and destruction, she preferred being far from most social gatherings and popular hangouts. It was much better that way in any case. She had no reason to be around people when she could just take off again for another deadly assignment.

But this time, she could feel that someone was watching her. She felt footsteps approaching, and eyes observing her. Samus lifted her head and narrowed her eyes when she looked at the interloper of her private moment.

Smaus was not sure what she had expected, but it was certainly not this.

The figure that approached was not like any she had encountered yet. The stranger had some sort of bodysuit on, a red eye with a tear on the chest of the suit. The stranger's face and head was covered in white cloth, and only a bite of blonde hair could be seen poking out, covering the left eye of the stranger. A man? Or a woman? No. It was definitely a woman.

Sheik looked at the armored woman and lifted her harp up. "May I play a song for you?"

Samus raised an eyebrow at the sudden, and odd request. Her eyes roamed to the stringed instrument, then up at the stranger's red eyes. Why would anyone just want to play a song to a random person? Still, would a song really hurt her?

With a resigned sigh, Samus nodded her approval.

Sheik's normally-stern eyes softened, and she began plucking at the strings, playing a song for the tired-looking warrior woman.

The melody was so gentle, and nothing like Samus ever heard before. The tune was also unfamiliar, and the way the fingers of the stranger danced along the strings almost hypnotizing. Even the minstrel didn't seem to have the need to look as she played.

Sheik knew this certain song she was playing now would help ease whatever woes the warrior woman was feeling. It would soothe her mind and body, and help her relax. She was just glad that the hunter allowed her to play a song, even though they did not know each other at all. But Sheik felt she just _had_ to play a song for her.

As the Sheikah warrior had predicted, Samus did indeed begin to relax. She was not sure how, but the bounty hunter felt as if she had not spent much energy at all. It was as if the song being played was…healing her somehow. But that was just impossible. Wasn't it? The song was just very soothing that it took her mind off things. That seemed more plausible.

Sheik finished the song and then looked at her audience of one.

With a low sigh, Samus opened her eyes—when had she closed them?—and looked at the ninja-like woman. She raised an eyebrow in question.

"I hope that my song has helped you, even a little bit," Sheik said softly.

Samus thought on it for a moment, then nodded in confirmation. It did help, somehow and she had to admit she now felt thankful to the odd stranger. Whoever she was.

"You can call me Sheik." The red-eyed woman said, a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at Samus with what may be a smile underneath the while face covering.

Samus stood up, towering over the ninja-like woman. She offered a hand to shake and Sheik took it; the grip was firm yet had a gentle hold, not unlike Samus' own grip when she was being polite with another human being.

As the hunter looked into Sheik's eyes, she sensed something rather odd. When she looked at the ninja-like woman, Samus felt like she was only seeing a front, and that there was something else lying beneath. When she tried to look deeper, Samus could have sworn that she was seeing someone else. It was like a very faint, and barely noticeable flash. But it was there, and the hunter's trained eye hardly lied to her.

Sheik straightened and let go of Samus' hand as their handshake ended. "Would you mind if I played you another song?"

The hunter shook her head. She was feeling strangely intrigued. Usually, she would back off or politely refuse the offer, or make an excuse that she needed to get going. But she wanted to hear a bit more, and she wanted to see if she could see a bit more underneath this exterior called Sheik.

The next song sounded like something that would make the night even more beautiful than it would usually be. The bounty hunter had experienced many nights where she felt pain, or it would just be plain dark. But as she listened to this new melody, it felt like that a good night's sleep was possible and that there was something beautiful to find in the dark of the night. It gave her a strange feeling in her chest; a sort of pressure that didn't hurt but made her feel something she could not describe.

Sheik glanced at the hunter and her eyes softened again. She could see that her single audience was genuinely enjoying the song, and it was indeed helping the warrior woman's exhausted state. It was nice to see that her songs were helping someone who needed it.

After another song or two, Sheik found herself properly standing face-to-face with the armored woman. "I enjoyed playing for you. Perhaps, if you visit again, I could play with you again sometime."

Samus tilted her head slightly. That was not something she had expected, and she had believed this to be a one-time thing. What were the odds of this happening again? Unless Sheik would usually be around, with that harp…

"I hope you feel better now, at any rate. It was an honor to play for someone who truly needed it." Sheik said before stepping back and turning away.

Once she was out of sight, Samus felt intrigued. All this had been so sudden, both when it started and then ended. And now the bounty hunter had a feeling that she would be indeed returning once in a while. Just to see if the minstrel would show up again.

While the hunter wondered about the odd woman, Sheik herself faded in a brief flash of light and her true form returned.

Zelda exhaled as she looked at the harp in her hand, smiling to herself. She was not sure what had driven her to just approach the stranger like that, but she felt rather good and pleased with herself. She had sensed a lot of good from the weary woman, though she doubted she would ever see her again. Just looking at her, Zelda could tell that the armored stranger wandered a lot and would not remain in one place for too long.

She would have loved to play another song for that woman, if they ever saw each other again. Even though that would very well be unlikely. Zelda was just glad that she had the opportunity to do so now while she had the chance. Whatever drew them together, she was thankful for it.

But now, she felt even more inspired than ever. A new song formed in her mind, and tomorrow she planned on playing it. If the armored woman ever came back, the new song would be dedicated to her and their meeting.

* * *

The next morning, Sheik was back to her usual perch, fingers running along the strings of her harp and creating the loveliest of melodies that any human ears would find irresistible. And just like the previous day, a small gathering formed at a decent distance in order to listen to Sheik play again. But once again, the Sheikah warrior took no notice of them and only continued to enjoy the day and time she had to herself.

The lovely maidens who had admired Sheik from afar were hoping to find another chance to get up close to the mysterious minstrel. Some held love letters, awaiting for the moment when they might be able to present their confessions of love to the ninja-like woman.

As Sheik continued to play, she sensed a new presence.

Red eyes opened and looked over to her little audience, and among them was a familiar face. The blonde woman from the other day was politely brushing past the others and approaching the minstrel, and that was when Sheik noticed that the warrior woman was out of her armor and wearing more civilian clothing; pants, a shirt with a jacket over it.

Samus ignored the little crowd gaping at her in disbelief behind her as she moved closer to the mysterious harp-player.

"You're here," Sheik said. "I did not think I would see you again, and so soon."

Samus just nodded and smiled lightly in response. She was surprised herself; she had thought she would change her mind and decide to up and leave for another mission rather than search for Sheik. But the next day, she felt even more compelled to seek her out.

"May I play you a song again?" Sheik asked, plucking a string.

The bounty hunter nodded and moved closer before sitting beside Sheik—the hopeful maidens in the audience gasped and swooned in dismay—while the minstrel began to play a new song; the one she promised to herself that she would dedicate to this kind of moment.

Samus felt the tension leave her body and mind, and she began to relax as Sheik played songs that seemed to have a sort of mystical feel to them. Whatever it was, the hunter was once again thankful for it, and Sheik was more than happy to serenade the woman who had enchanted her.

Whoever was under than mask, Samus was going to figure it out. There was something there, and as a bounty hunter, she never shied away from a mystery or a challenge.

From the distance that they stood at, the eligible maidens felt their dreams float away from their grasp as it became clear that the handsome, mysterious minstrel had chosen a suitor.

* * *

 **Because Zelda, as Sheik, is a musically-talented stud who charms both men and women by being all quiet and mysterious, while playing a harp (which I feel is actually be a lyre, but hey…) and doesn't give a damn if she has a bunch of fans, but would love to serenade Samus. Also this time, it was Samus' turn to have her face seen while she is left to wonder what Sheik's face was like. I thought it'd be a nice little turn this time around.**

 **Which version of Zelda and Sheik is this? I'll let you readers decide for yourself! Whichever is your favorite!**

 **Hope you all enjoyed this little chapter; I've been thinking about this scenario for a while and I am glad I had the chance to write it despite how busy my new job has been making me with it's insane hours. Stay awesome!**

 **Until then…**


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